Just Love
by Earth Rincar
Summary: A Ryudo/Elena fanfic. Chapter TWENTY NINE uploaded.
1. Thunder Storm

Death Ninja's Note: I don't own Grandia II or any of the characters in it. They belong to Game Arts. However, the fanfiction and the character named Lance are mine. This fanfic is not making money so please don't sue. 

Note: This fanfic takes place one year after Valmar is defeated, not one year after the game ends so Ryudo is 18, Roan is 14, etc. ****

JUST LOVE 

Chapter One : Thunder Storm 

Elena sighed to herself as she stepped out of the bathroom. She felt refreshed after a long, hot shower. She was dressed in a light, blue night gown and her golden hair was not tied into a braid; it cascaded freely behind her shoulders. She went to her dresser and took out a comb. She then sat on her bed and combed her long, silky, golden blonde hair. 

Elena was staying in a guest room at Cyrum Castle. She was on vacation. Even though she enjoyed travelling and singing to people from different towns and cities, it was still quite tiring. So, she booked a whole month off so she could relax and clear her head. Even though most of the world was at peace, one thing still bothered her; Ryudo. Where in the blazes was he? He had been missing for one year, one month, and two days and a half. She always wondered if she would ever see the only man she could ever love. She knew Ryudo would come back, she had faith in him and the bond they shared. But the question was, when would he come back? She could not wait to see him and tell him all the things he missed. 

Elena finished combing her hair and put the comb away. She lay on her bed. Tomorrow, she would go on a picnic with her friends; Roan, Tio, and even Millennia and Skye. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. 

*** 

Roan stood in front of a mirror and checked himself out. He was dressed in his normal clothing. For today, he was just Roan, not King Roan. He was going to Raul Hills to have a picnic with his friends. The Young King walked over to his bed where his things sat. He put his back pack on and put the Gladius in its sheath. 

After Valmar was defeated, the monsters' population decreased dramatically and the monsters that were still around tended to stay away from humans as far as possible. There had not been a report of monsters attacking humans for more than a year now. But still, Roan was always prepared for everything. Should a monster attack them in the middle of their picnic, he would have something to defend himself with. 

Roan left his room and went to the lobby. He found Elena and Tio waiting for him. Tio was dressed in her normal yellow clothing. Elena also wore her casual clothing except the bonnet on her head was gone and her hair was not tied back into a braid. 

Roan smiled at his companions. "I apologize for making you wait. I had to go over some things with Paulk and I had to make sure I am fully prepared for the trip." 

"What do you have in the back pack?" Tio asked. 

"Some food, drinks, you know." the King replied. 

"Roan, I thought I told you that me and Tio will take care of the food," Elena said. 

Roan looked sheepish. "I am sorry but I just can not let you prepare everything for this trip. It would not be fair for you." 

Before Elena and Tio could respond to him, Millennia and Skye entered the lobby. Millennia was also dressed in her casual clothes. "Hey, hey, hello everybody!" she smiled. 

"Miss Millennia! Mister Skye! I am glad you made it!" Roan cried. 

"I told you I'd be here. Do you really think I'd let you guys have fun without me?" the EX-Wings of Valmar grinned. 

"So, everyone is here. We should get going now," Elena said. 

The others nodded their heads in agreement and then they left the castle. 

*** 

A tall, young man walked in a bar in the town of Mirumu. He had short, spikey turquoise hair and ruby red eyes. The bottom half of his face was covered with a dark blue mask. He wore a black coat over his dark, blue Ninja uniform. He strode toward a table in silence and seated himself despite all the people in the bar that gave him dirty looks. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes as if he was in deep thought. "Soon... very soon... I will find you," he said to himself. 

His eyes snapped open as he sensed three men stand before him. "Gentlemen, what can I do for you?" he asked. His voice was deep but he spoke in monotone and his voice was void of any emotions or feelings. 

One of the men held a broken beer bottle in front of him and gave the young man a cold glare. "Get the Hell out of here Ninja, you know your kind ain't wanted here!" he snarled. 

"What if I don't leave?" 

One of the other men snarled and quickly took out a knife. He swung his arm forward in an attempt to stab his heart. The young man backed away just in time to avoid the knife and then quickly took out a five foot long katana. He swiftly swung his katana forward and knocked the knives and beer bottles from the men's hands. He gave them a mocking look and sheathed his weapon. 

The young man just pissed his enemies even more. One of them rushed forward and threw a punch aimed for his face but he caught it with his left hand. The young Ninja retaliated with a kick. He hit his opponent on the stomach and sent him flying to the other end of the bar. 

He then turned to one of his enemies and narrowed his eyes at him. The young man's ruby red eyes burned to his opponent's. He put his right arm forward and fire emerged from his palm. At the sight of this, the other patrons in the bar ran away while they screamed things like "he's a demon, let's get out of here!" 

"DARK FLARE!" the young man said and a big blast of flame flew out of his right palm. The attack sent his opponent flying to the other end of the bar as well to join his friend. The young man walked over to the last man with a murderous look on his face. Quickly, he brought his right hand forward, clamped on the man's throat, and raised him the air. 

The man shook in fear and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. The Ninja began to speak in his cold, monotone, emotionless voice. "This morning, you stole a necklace from a little girl. I want you to give it back to me." 

"I don't know what you're talking about. Look, forget that I attacked you and said that your kind ain't wanted here. Please, just let me go," he begged. 

The Ninja tightened his grip on his throat. "Give me the necklace or die!" The man could not speak a word and began to gag. The young Ninja growled and flung him to a table. 

When the man recovered from his fall, he felt a cold blade on his throat. He looked up and saw that the Ninja was ready to cut his head off with his katana if he would not co-operate. "All right... all... right... I'll give you the damn necklace!" he snarled and reached for his pocket on his pants. He took out a shiny, silver necklace and tossed it over to the Ninja. 

The Ninja put his katana back in its sheath and crossed his arms over his chest. "Mission accomplished," he whispered to himself and walked out of the bar. At the bar's entrance, a little girl with green hair and purple eyes waited for him. The Ninja took out the necklace from the folds of his gi and tossed it over to little Aira. 

Aira favoured him with a big smile. "Thank you Mister Ninja. Now, I wish there was something I could do for you." 

"Don't worry about it, kid," he said and gave her a friendly look. If the Ninja did not wear his mask, he could have been smiling. "Now, go give your present to your mother and if those thugs bother you again, just tell me." 

"Thanks Mister!" Aira smiled again. 

"By the way, the name's Lance," the Ninja said and then he quickly turned around and left. 

*** 

Ryudo sighed heavily. He laid down on his back under a tree in the forests while he thought about Elena. He had not seen her for one year, one month, and three days and a quarter. He had just simply disappeared so he could put the Granasaber away. He had also thought about which he loved more; Elena or Millennia. After a lot of thought, he realized he loved Elena more. But there were some problems involved. One, he did not know where to find her. He tried to find her in Carbo Village but Father Carius said she left and joined a group of travelling singers. Two, how was he suppose to tell her his feelings? He had tried many times before but things did not go exactly as planned. Sometimes, Millennia would appear and ruin everything and sometimes he just ended up saying the wrong thing. Speaking of Millennia, what would she say when he tells her his choice? 

"Ryudo, Ryudo, Ryudo... what are you going to do?" he asked himself. 

"I know! First, I must find Elena and then tell her how I feel," his mind answered. Ryudo stood up, he decided to head to Cyrum Kingdom. Roan might know where Elena was. 

Before Ryudo could take a step, one thing crossed his mind; even if he did find Elena, what would she say? Would she still love him? What if her feelings for him changed and found someone else all this time? "Ryudo, you're not even there yet," his mind told him. 

Ryudo shook his head in disgust, sometimes he hated himself for being pessimistic, and began to walk. Cyrum Kingdom was not very far away from where he was. He should reach it in a day or two. The young Geohound then heard a branch snap from behind. Quickly, he took out his Maken Valborg. A man with a short sword then ran out of a bush. He swung his weapon at Ryudo but he blocked it with his Maken Valborg. Embers flew from their weapons as they crashed. 

Ryudo backed away and brought his sword forward. The man stepped back and tripped on a big rock. He fell on the ground and dropped his weapon. Ryudo quickly kicked the short sword away from the intruder. Ryudo put his left hand forward and shouted, "Stinging Ice!" casting a Crackle spell. The attack sent chills down the man's spine and made his blood run cold. The intruder realized it was a mistake to attack the Geohound all along. He stood up and ran away. Ryudo swung his sword around in the air, put it on the ground, posed, and said, "You better practice if you want to beat me." Ryudo then picked up his Maken Valborg from the ground and continued to walk. 

*** 

Elena and company finally reached Raul Hills and were having a picnic under a tree. "So, Miss Millennia, do you like being a teacher?" Roan asked after he took a bite out of his sandwich. 

Millennia smiled. "Oh, it's okay. But there are times though when those brats are so annoying. If they weren't so cute, I'd blast them away with my Fallen Wings or a Dragon Zap." 

"Being a teacher sounds like fun," Tio said. 

"You have no idea," Millenia grinned. 

Roan turned to Tio. "How about you Tio? How is work?" 

"It is fine," Tio answered shortly. 

"How about you Miss Elena?" Roan asked. 

"Well, I enjoy performing in front of people. I really like what I do and the most rewarding part of my job is the applause I get from my audience." Elena answered. 

"I heard your fans have started a fan club," Skye said, who was perched on a tree branch. 

"Enough about me, what about you Roan?" Elena said. 

"Well, my kingdom is slowly getting on its feet but I am afraid some things will never be the same. There are people who have moved on with their live and are progressing. But there are some who can not accept the defeat of Granas and Valmar so they still continue to worship them even if they are dead. Finally, there are those who can not recover from the things they have lost and chose to live dishonest lives to survive," Roan responded. 

Silence then hung in the air, the five of them finally ran out of things to say to each other. All of them looked troubled as they all thought about the one person who missing; Ryudo. All of them wondered just what had happened to him. It was just not the same without him. 

The silence was finally broken when all of them heard a distant rumbling. "What could that be?!" Millennia asked, a bit annoyed that her thoughts of Ryudo were disturbed. 

Skye took off and flew high in the sky to see what caused the rumbling. He saw a huge cloud of dust that was headed their way. Beneath the cloud of dust were monsters, and lots of them. Skye quickly went back to his friends. "Let's get out of here!" he cried. 

"What's happening, bird?!!" Millennia demanded. 

"A whole horde of monsters is heading this way. Hurry, let's go to the dock!" Skye answered. The rest did not bother to pack whatever food was left for the rumbling on the ground grew louder. They headed back to the dock where their boat waited for them. Elena and company got on the boat, each grabbed a paddle and began to row. 

*** 

"Damn! What is going on here?!" Ryudo cursed to himself as the forest suddenly became noisy. There were birds squawking, monkeys chattering, wolves howling, and many others, all at the same time. Usually, the forest was very quiet when humans were around. Ryudo looked up in the sky and his question was answered. Up in the sky, a whole horde of Devils were headed his way. 

"Damn, you can't be serious!" Ryudo growled, unsheathed the Maken Valborg, and ran for his life. Two Devils from the air dive bombed at him but were quickly dispatched by a Tenseiken Slash. 

Ryudo kept running with Devils attacking him here and there. Finally, the Geohound came across a dead end, a cliff. He looked down and the river below had a fast current, it would be suicide to jump down. Ryudo turned around as he heard a growling noise from behind. There were four Devils ready to kill him. 

Ryudo quickly casted a Crackle spell on one of them, he knew that the monsters were weak against ice magic. "Stinging Ice!" he yelled as sharp glaciers from the ground dispatched the monster. One of the Devils took to the air while the other two rushed forward with their claws ready for attack. He tried to fend them off with his Maken Valborg but four clawed hands against one sword was an unfair match. Ryudo had to keep moving backwards to allow space between him and his opponents as he slashed with his weapon. Finally, the Devils stopped their attack with their claws and flew away. Ryudo sighed heavily as he found out that he was at the edge of the cliff. Just one more step backwards and he would have fallen off. A frown soon formed on his face, he wondered what just happened. The Devils had him, so why did they go away? He then looked up in the sky and his question was answered. 

The Devil that flew in the sky before casted a Burnstrike spell. Countless of fire birds were headed straight at him. Ryudo was pummelled continuously with fire birds and the last blow sent him flying off the cliff. "Elena..." he whispered before he hit the water. 


	2. Sweet Moments

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Two : Sweet Moments 

Lance sighed to himself in relief as he sensed that the danger was over. The forest was once again quiet; the Devils must be gone. Thanks to his speed, stealth, and cunning, he managed to remain undetected from the winged monsters. With a chuckle, he jumped off the tree where he had been hiding and continued his journey. He was heading to Cyrum Kingdom. 

"That little girl back in Mirumu told me I might be able to find her at Cyrum Kingdom. I just hope she's right," Lance told himself. He looked up in the sky. The sun was brightly shining. "I'd say it's about noon. If I keep up my pace, I'd get to St. Heim by nightfall and I should get through Raul Hills in half a day." 

The young Ninja stopped walking as he heard a soft moan. With an arched eyebrow, he followed the noise as quietly as possible. The Ninja led himself to the river shore. There, he found Ryudo laying on the ground, unconscious. He walked over to Ryudo silently and examined him carefully. "He's breathing... but barely," Lance said to himself mentally. He kicked the Geohound's right arm with his left foot gently in an attempt to wake him up. 

"Elena..." Ryudo groaned in his unconscious state. 

"Elena, huh? He must be dreaming. I wonder how he ended down here. Surely, he just didn't go out here to sleep. Humph, why should I care? I have better things to do. I have to find her no matter what. She's the only one I have left," Lance thought and turned around. Before he could walk away, he heard Ryudo moan again and turned back around to face him. 

Ryudo's eyes opened slowly. He shook his head and got up slowly. When his eyes finally focused, the first thing he saw was Lance standing right in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest. "Who... who are you?" he asked. 

Lance gave him a mocking look. "Humph, that doesn't concern you. You should be more concerned about yourself." With that said, the Ninja ran away. 

"Who on Earth was that guy? Whoever he is, he's right. Damn, my head hurts from that fall and my clothes are soaking wet. I better get the Hell out of here. If Devils come out during the day to attack humans, I'd hate to see what comes out during the night," Ryudo told himself. He then checked his equipment to see if anything was missing. His back pack, Maken Valborg, and Dragon Egg were all intact. "I better hurry," Ryudo whispered and continued his journey. 

*** 

Skye, Elena, Millennia, Roan, and Tio were all in Roan's office, discussing the monster incident from their picnic. Roan made himself comfortable on his office chair while the others sat in front of him. 

"What do you think happened back at Raul Hills?" Tio asked. 

"Something must have driven those monsters to attack us," Roan answered. 

Elena frowned. "But what?" 

Skye, who was perched on a book shelf, spoke. "You know, those monsters looked like they came from that old ruin where we found that Fairy Egg." 

Millennia gave Skye a mocking look. "Well, duh! Everyone knows that old ruin is a monster nest, bird brain!" 

Skye gave Millennia a dirty look and she returned it with a teasing smile. "Please, stop that, this is serious. We should know what drove those monsters away from their home. Whatever drove them away could pose a threat to us in the future," Roan said sternly. 

"What should we do? Should we investigate the old ruins?" Tio asked. 

"No, it would be suicide. That area is crawling with Chameleons, Dragon Knights, Land Cougars, Snow Leopards, and the dreaded Devils. My army of knights will not stand a chance against them," Roan replied. 

"So, what are we suppose to do now?" Elena said. 

The young King sighed in exasperation. "I do not know. I wish there was something I could do." 

Millennia stood up, stretched, and yawned. "Well, since we're not getting anywhere, I'm outta here. I'm gonna walk around for awhile. Ta-ta!" she smiled and left the office. 

"I hate to admit it but she's right," Skye added and flew out of the room. 

"I shall be retiring to my room. If you need me, I shall be there," Elena said and left. 

"I will see you later, Roan." Tio got up from her chair and left as well. 

Roan sighed heavily. "Ryudo, I wish you were here..." 

*** 

"NO! Don't do it! I could not bear losing Ryudo to Valmar!" Elena cried when Ryudo decided he would release the Horns of Valmar within him. 

Ryudo sighed deeply and looked at Elena lovingly. His heart skipped a beat as he looked at her. He walked over to her and spoke. "Don't worry Elena! I won't give in, no matter what form I take. I know that you... my need to protect you, will help me persevere. I believe that!" 

Elena's face crumpled. "Ryudo!" 

Ryudo gave her a stern look. "Elena, there's no other way. If I don't go, everyone will die." 

A machine in the Birth Place of the Gods hummed. "The system has been activated," Elmo announced. 

Ryudo walked away from his comrades and eyed the center of the Seal. Leaving Elena was one of the hardest things he had done in his life. He loved her dearly and he would not be able to bear it if he could not come back if something should go wrong. But, he had to go, for his and her future and everyone else's. He took a deep breath and then turned to Tio. He walked over to her. "Tio, I must apologize to you." 

Tio looked confused. "For what?" 

"For watching you desperately struggle to discover what a human heart is and what it is capable of," Ryudo answered and then looked away in shame. "I'm ashamed that I treated you like a doll. For that, I apologize." 

"Ryudo, do not worry about it." Tio felt something flutter in her chest and a euphoric feeling overcame her. Tio walked away and looked at the ceiling. "This plan is nearly hopeless... but I believe in you. I do not want to see the end of humanity. I enjoy the company of people." Tio turned to Ryudo and gave him a serious look. "Ryudo, please, protect my dreams." 

Ryudo then turned to Roan. "Roan, no matter what I become, I terrible battle will take place. I want you to evacuate everyone as far away as possible. Please, do as I say. Your Highness." 

Roan looked down on the floor. "On my... journeys with you, I have discovered who I am. Ryudo, I owe it all to you!" 

"You'd do the same for me Roan. We have to win. NO! WE WILL WIN!" 

Roan's voice began to shake. "Ryudo, you must absolutely... positively come back!" 

Elena watched Ryudo talk to his friends as if he would never see them again. It was painful for her when Ryudo decided to 'test his heart'. What if something happened to him? What if Ryudo became Valmar? She would never see him again. She could not bear that, she would not be able to go on. Life was unfair. She just learned to love a man, she just learned to live but Ryudo was now going away. It all seemed that fate was playing a trick on her. Her heart began to beat slowly and every time it did, it sent pain throughout her body. It felt like a thorn was stuck in her heart. Her eyes threatened to shed tears, her fingers tingled, her mouth became dry, and her knees felt weak. Elena could not take anymore of it and ran to a corner. Ryudo followed her. 

Elena put her hands together over her aching heart and stared at a red orb. She was frustrated. The God she had been worshipping turned out to be dead. Her mission to save the world turned out to be a part of Zera's Evil plan. And now, Ryudo. Why did the world turned on her like this, even after all the things she had done for it? She then turned around as she heard Ryudo come. "Why did it have to come to this? I wanted to save everyone... I did everything I could. But still... why can't we be together? What did I do wrong?" 

Ryudo favoured her with a smile. "Elena... nothing you ever did was wrong. It was right. That's why I can do this. I'll happily risk my life to protect your kindness. So, if I should die, you may live." 

"Ryudo..." Elena whimpered. 

"Live Elena, live." Ryudo said softly. 

Ryudo walked over to Elena and kissed her forehead and then her cheek. His arms snaked around her back to hold her still for her body was shaking with grief. 

Elmo had been watching Ryudo say good bye to Tio, Roan, and reason with Elena. It was all frustrating. Why did it matter if Ryudo was attempting to release the Horns of Valmar? She was surprised that Tio had feelings and did not want to see the end of humanity. Why did it matter if humans live or die? All things must end some time. Would it matter if it was now or in the future? And then there was Elena. Love, Elmo had no idea what love was. By looking at Elena, love looked like an emotion that brought pain. Why did it matter should Ryudo not come back? Could she not love again should the Geohound not return? Elmo's main circuits felt like they were going to fry from all of her questions. Pushing her thoughts aside, she spoke. "The Horns of Valmar will be released. Please proceed to the center of the system," Elmo instructed. 

Ryudo let go of Elena but it was hard. He looked at her one more time and his heart sank. He did not want this. Leaving Elena was painful but if it meant saving the world, he would gladly do it. He would die happily if Elena, his friends, and the rest of the world could live. The need of the many out weighed his. Ryudo began to walk slowly to the center of the Seal. The machine made a noise as he reached the center and the system began to power up. The center of the Seal began to rise and Elena ran over to Ryudo. 

Elena now looked more composed. "I want to believe in you. But... But... Please, share your strength with me!" 

Elena wrapped her arms around Ryudo's waist and leaned her head against his muscular chest. Ryudo wrapped his arms around Elena's waist as well and rested his head on top of hers. The two were locked in a passionate embrace while the center of the system began to rise. Elena could hear his heart beat rapidly and Ryudo could feel her body shaking and held her tighter. Although it might be their last embrace, it felt pleasant and both felt fulfilled. For a long time, both felt something was missing in their lives and now they knew what it was. Both whispered the other's name to each other silently. 

After awhile, the center of the Seal stopped moving. Elena freed herself from Ryudo. "Thank you Ryudo." Ryudo took a step forward and began to slowly slant his face forward, Elena did likewise. The two met in a passionate kiss and held it for a couple of seconds. Elena then tilted her head a bit to deepen the kiss. Ryudo slid his tongue into her mouth and began to flick Elena's. 

Expecting Elena's tongue to dance with his, Ryudo felt something light slap his cheek. "What is she doing?" Ryudo thought as more weak slaps followed the first one. Ryudo opened his eyes to see what was going on and then everything just blurred away. 

"HEY! Wake up!" a voice yelled. 

Ryudo's eyes snapped open and quickly sat up from his bed. It was night fall. He was staying in a room in an inn at St. Heim. Ryudo turned to his side and saw that it was the inn keeper who had woken him up. He gave him a cold stare and the inn keeper flinched. "What do you want, old man?!" he growled. 

"I just came here to tell you that dinner is ready. When you are ready to eat, go to the dining room downstairs," the inn keeper answered and immediately left the room. Apparently, he woke up the Geohound at the wrong time. 

"Stupid old... senile... bloody..." Ryudo cursed under his breath. He sighed to himself heavily and hopped out of bed. He went to the balcony and looked at the beautiful city below him. He was dreaming of Elena again. He should find her soon and tell her his feelings or it would drive him insane. Ryudo chuckled a bit to himself. He used not to care about anyone except himself. He could have any woman he wanted but did not want to do anything with them. But Elena was different, his journey with her changed him. She broke down the wall he built between himself and his emotions. Half of him enjoyed the feeling of love but the other half was afraid of it. Maybe it was the fear of rejection. Ryudo shook his head, knowing fully well that pessimism would cloud his thoughts. Either way, he would find Elena and tell her his feelings. He just hoped that this time, he and Elena could live happily ever after. 

*** 

Lance finally reached St. Heim. He stood on top of a really tall building. It was night fall and for the Ninja, it was time to prowl. As soon as he reached the city, a man had hired him to kill a group of people. Lance was not really a Ninja for hire and stayed on the good side most of the time but he needed money so for now, he did not care what his Clan stood or fought for. He sighed as a gentle breeze blew against him. His short, spikey, turquoise hair danced with the breeze and his long, black coat flowed freely in the breeze like a cape. 

Lance decided it was time to go and checked his equipment. His five foot long katana, which he had named Falchion, and his Gravity Egg were all intact. "All right... let's get this over with..." he told himself and ran to the other end of the building and jumped to another and another and another to get to his destination. 

The young Ninja stopped on his tracks as he realized he reached his destination. A frown formed on his face as he examined his surroundings. He looked at the map the man gave him and then the place where he was. "I'm in the right place but this is odd... a church? What could someone want from a rickety old church?" he asked himself. Lance's Ninja Clan did not believe in Granas or Valmar but he was quite aware of who they were. He knew that they were both gone. He also knew that there were still some people out there who worshipped them despite the truth. 

Apparently, he was suppose to kill everyone in the building. He then heard a door open. A person had stepped out of the church. "There's a target." He jumped down from a roof top and silently ran to the person from behind. When he was close enough, he thrusted his Falchion into his victim's back. Lance then withdrew his katana and let his victim fall on the ground. His victim was an old man. The Ninja dragged the dead body away and cleaned the blood off of his katana. 

The young Ninja jumped to the church's roof and sneaked into a window. Lance found himself in a bedroom and luckily, no one was there. Lance exited the room and ran down a hall way. The hall way lead the Ninja to the church's altar. There, he found a priest with five other men. 

"Soon, very soon, my brothers, Lord Granas shall rise from the ashes and rule over this world again," the priest said. 

"But what about the enemy?" one of the men asked. 

"As soon as Granas' children are ready, we'll deal with them," one of the other men answered. 

"Tsk. Tsk. Poor fools, they actually think that Granas is coming back. Hmm... but what do they mean by Granas' children?" Lance asked himself. "Humph, whatever they're talking about is none of my business. At least when I kill them, they can join Granas." 

Lance crossed his arms over his chest and stepped out of the hall way, walking into the altar room. "Who are you?" the priest asked. Instead of getting an answer, the Ninja quickly threw a shuriken at his forehead. The priest fell on the floor and created a puddle of blood. 

"Father Thomas!" the men cried. "Who are you and what do you want?" the men demanded. 

Lance only gave them a murderous look and unsheathed the Falchion. Lance raised the Falchion straight above him into the air with both hands. The Falchion's blade glowed with a blue aura and the Ninja then slashed downwards. "GET READY! DARK SLASH!" As he swept it downwards, the katana's blade shot several dark blue, crescent projectiles at the men. His opponents were thrown backwards and fell on the floor. 

The Ninja quickly ran to one of the men and thrusted his katana into the man's stomach before he could get up. One of the men got up and gave the Ninja a cold stare. Lance returned his stare with a malevolent look and took out the Falchion from the man's stomach. He put his right arm forward and fire emerged from his palm. "YOU'RE FINISHED! DARK FLARE!" Lance said and a big blast of flame flew out of his right palm. The attack sent his opponent flying to the other end of the church and he did not get up again. He then finished the rest off with a Hellburner spell. 

The Ninja put his katana back in its sheath and crossed his arms over his chest. "Mission accomplished," he whispered to himself. 


	3. The Arrival

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Three : The Arrival 

Elena woke up from her sleep. She sat up on her bed and wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead. She had dreamt of Ryudo and herself in the Birthplace of the Gods. For the past few weeks, she kept having the same dream every night. Elena sighed to herself and got off the bed, wearing a light blue night gown. She went to the balcony and looked up to the stars and the moon. 

"Ryudo..." Elena whispered to herself. She then looked down, below her was a beautiful garden. Elena marvelled at the beauty of the garden and then decided to take a walk in the garden under the moonlight. 

Elena walked down a path while she admired the beauty of the garden and savoured the fragrant scent of the flowers. She then came across a rose bush with yellow flowers that seemed to glow under the moonlight. Elena bent over and picked up a flower. She straightened up and smelled the yellow rose. 

She then dropped the rose and turned around as she heard approaching footsteps. Paulk was right in front of her with a frown on his face. 

"Lady Elena! What are you doing out here?" Paulk asked, a bit surprised. 

"Ju... just taking a walk," Elena replied. 

Paulk smiled. "You know, you should not go out on a night like this. I thought you were an intruder." 

"I am sorry," Elena sighed heavily and then looked away. 

Paulk caught a glimpse of Elena's eyes. They were full of sadness. He wondered what could make the Minstrel upset but now was not the time to ask. He should wait when she felt better. "Lady Elena?" 

"Yes?" 

"Would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow at Red Cyrum?" 

Elena hesitated to answer for a moment. "Yes. I would be glad to. Thank you." 

*** 

Ryudo walked out of the inn feeling refreshed and excited. Today, he would cross Raul Hills, go to Cyrum Kingdom, and maybe see Elena. Last night, he asked a couple of people where Elena could be found now. Lucky for him, they said Cyrum Kingdom. Ryudo inhaled the fresh air and began to walk down a street that would lead him to Raul Hills. 

It did not take long for Ryudo to reach Raul Hills. Ryudo stopped walking as he heard approaching footsteps. Three Snow Leopards then came out of a bush. "Damn monsters! This was turning out into such a great day," Ryudo muttered to himself as he unsheathed the Maken Valborg. 

The Snow Leopards began to circle the Geohound. Ryudo kept his eyes trained on his opponents. The last thing he wanted was for one of them to sneak up on him from behind. One of the Snow Leopards growled and pounced on Ryudo but was dispatched by a Tenseiken Slash in mid air. One of the monsters casted a Crackle spell on Ryudo while the other just stayed put. The blow from the ice spell sent Ryudo flying to a tree. 

"Damn! That hurts!" Ryudo growled to himself and got up from the ground. He put his left hand forward and a big ball of fire formed above his head, casting a Burn! spell. "How about this?" Ryudo said as the ball of fire flew towards his opponent. 

The Snow Leopard growled in pain as the Burn! spell hit him. However, it was not enough to put him out. Ryudo began to charge for a Burnstrike spell to finish the cat off for good. Before he could execute the spell, the other leopard pounced on him from behind. The leopard pinned him to the ground and roared at his face. 

Ryudo gagged from the leopard's bad breath. "Ugh, what have you been eating, pal?!" Ryudo said in disgust. The leopard roared again as if it understood what Ryudo said. The Geohound raised his legs and kicked the leopard off of him. 

Before Ryudo could do anything, Lance leapt out of a bush while cursing to himself. He was then followed by four Dragon Knights. "It's you again," Ryudo said. 

"Oh hello. Nice day, isn't it?" the nineteen year old Ninja said sarcastically as he ducked when a Dragon Knight swung its club forward. Lance back flipped away from his opponents and then put his left hand forward, casting a Howlslash spell. Three of the knights dodged it but one of them got hit, got thrown to a big boulder, and did not get up again. Lance casted a Burnflame spell afterwards but his opponents managed to avoid it. 

Ryudo raised the Maken Valborg in the air with both hands and was soon surrounded by a purple aura. "STRIKE! PURPLE LIGHTNING!" he yelled as he rushed to one of the leopards. Ryudo split into four images and attacked the leopard mercilessly, dispatching it. 

One of the Dragon Knights swung its club forward, hitting Lance on his stomach. The blow sent the Ninja flying to a tree. "I can't take much more of this..." Lance growled to himself as he got up from the ground. He then unsheathed the Falchion and ran towards the Dragon Knight. Lance threw a punch with his left arm but the knight blocked it with its club. Lance jumped in the air, extended his right foot forward, and spun around, kicking the knight's face. The knight flinched and Lance did not waste anytime. He slit the knight's throat with his Falchion, killing the Dragon Knight instantly. 

"SEARING FIRE, CLEANSING FLAME!" Ryudo yelled as he casted a Burnstrike spell on the last leopard. The fire spell finished the leopard off. He then turned to Lance. Lance fell on the ground as he got hit by a Lightning Ball from a Dragon Knight. "Hey, hang in there!" Ryudo said as he ran after a Dragon Knight that was rushing towards the fallen Ninja. 

Ryudo caught up quickly with the knight and killed it by thrusting his sword into its stomach. Ryudo stood right in front of the Ninja. "Are you okay?" he asked as he offered his hand. 

Lance's eyes widened a bit and gasped softly. Quickly, he got up and pushed the Geohound out of his way. A Dragon Knight that was about to attack Ryudo from behind missed. The Ninja back flipped away from the knight and casted a Quake spell on it, finishing the monster off. 

Ryudo got up from the ground and brushed dirt off of his clothes. "When you see an enemy behind me, just tell me, you idiot!" Ryudo growled at the Ninja. Before Lance could answer, the ground began to rumble. "Bloody Hell... What's happening now?!" 

"Don't ask, just run!" Lance replied. A big, red dragon about the size of a two storey building then came out of the woods. Lance sheathed the Falchion and ran away. 

"Hey! Wait up!" Ryudo yelled and went after the Ninja. 

The Dragon roared and went after the two. Ryudo looked back to see if the Dragon was following them. "Dammit! That thing is after us!" 

"It looks pretty hungry!" Lance replied. 

"Great! We're all going to die!" Ryudo yelled. 

The Dragon roared again and began to spit fireballs at the two. "This is not the kind of trip I had in mind," Lance thought after he dodged a fireball that was meant for him. 

"FREEZING RAGE!" Ryudo shouted, casting a Crackling spell on the Dragon in an attempt to slow it down. The ice spell had no effect on the Dragon. 

"Bloody Hell," Lance cursed to himself as they were approached a steep slope. 

"It's times like these that I wish I didn't put that Granasaber away," Ryudo muttered to himself after he avoided a fireball from the Dragon. 

Ryudo and Lance began to run down the slope. Their hands began to shake uncontrollably, their hearts raced, and their bodies felt cold for it felt like they were going to trip anytime soon as they gained more and more speed from running down the slope. 

The two felt the slope tremble, almost losing their balance, and then looked back to see what had become of the Dragon. Their pursuer was nowhere behind them, it had jumped to the bottom of the slope. The Dragon roared to tell its preys it was waiting at the bottom. 

"OH DAMMIT!" Ryudo yelled. 

Lance jumped high in the air and put his left hand forward. He casted a Poizn spell on the Dragon and green bubbles began to form around it. The green poison bubbles popped and the Dragon howled in pain. Lance landed at the bottom of the hill and ran past the giant lizard. Ryudo ran past the Dragon as well. 

"Quick thinking," the Geohound told the Ninja. 

Lance did not say anything and kept running for the Dragon recovered from his attack. The Dragon began to chase them again but it did not move as fast as before. "Excellent, the poison is slowing him down," the Ninja said to himself. 

The Dragon snarled and jumped high in the air. It landed right in front of the two. The Dragon immediately swung its long tail at Ryudo. The blow sent Ryudo flying to a tree. The giant lizard then lowered its head and tried to bite Lance's head off but the Ninja managed to jump away. 

Ryudo got up on his knees while he moaned to himself in pain. "Damn, that hurts!" He spat blood on the ground and got up on his feet. He unsheathed the Maken Valborg and charged at the monster. "Hiyah!" he yelled as he slashed at the Dragon's left foot. He only managed to scratch its scales a little. "What the Hell is this?!! Just what is its scales made out of?!" Ryudo asked out loud. 

The Dragon swung its tail at Ryudo again but he avoided it this time. He narrowed his eyes at the giant lizard and put his left hand forward, casting a Zap! spell. The spell paralyzed the Dragon and was unable to move. 

"Let's get out of here!" the Ninja told the Geohound. 

"Yeah, you're right. We can never beat that thing, for now," Ryudo agreed and they ran away from the Dragon. 

The two came across a river and found a boat on the shore. They ran to the boat and got on it immediately. Both of them grabbed a paddle and began to row. 

"Whew, I'm glad that's over," Ryudo panted as he stopped paddling for awhile to catch his breath. 

"...." Lance stopped paddling as well to catch his breath. 

"So, we meet again. Thanks for your help," Ryudo said and continued paddling. 

"....." 

The boat then hit the shore. Lance quickly stood up and jumped off the boat. He ran towards the woods and disappeared. Ryudo got off the boat as well and sighed in relief as he saw that Cyrum Kingdom was just ahead of him. 

*** 

"Finally, I'm here..." Lance panted softly and sat down on a big boulder. He was covered with sweat and his chest heaved from all the fighting and running he had just done. "What the Hell just happened to Raul Hills? It's full of monsters. Monsters don't really attack people these days. Well... at least I got here earlier than I have planned thanks to that Red Dragon and the Geohound," he thought and got up from the boulder as he heard someone scream. 

Lance followed the source of the scream silently. Just ahead of him, was a young man being attacked by a Land Cougar and a Chameleon. The Ninja stayed behind a bush to keep himself concealed and studied the young man. The young man looked pretty weak, he was definitely not a fighter, probably just a simple traveller. Lance humphed to himself and left. He had better things to do. 

*** 

Ryudo entered the gates of Cyrum Kingdom and sighed in relief. "At last..." he said to himself. Ryudo looked around the place. People were putting decorations everywhere; on street lamps, on roof tops of houses, bushes, and many more. "All these decorations... I guess this means that Cyrum Day is tomorrow," Ryudo told himself. Cyrum Day was the day when Roan ascended to the throne and claimed independence. It was the day when the people of Cyrum left their past behind. It was also the day when Ryudo had his first date. Ryudo suddenly remembered how embarrassed he felt when he could not stop blushing because he had to hold Elena's hand to prove that they were lovers to Hemble. 

Ryudo then decided to look for an inn where he could rest before he could start looking for Elena. He walked down the street and passed by a restaurant. His head moved left and right as he walked, looking for a nice inn. Right across the street, he saw an inviting place. Before he could cross the street, he heard a familiar laugh, a laugh he had been wanting to hear for a long time. The Geohound turned around and saw Elena and Paulk exiting the restaurant. Ryudo hid behind an alley and watched the two. 

"Thanks for lunch," Elena smiled. 

"It was my pleasure," Paulk smiled back and the two of them began to walk back to the castle while they talked to each other. 

Ryudo felt a rush of jealousy in his heart and growled to himself silently. "Paulk and Elena?! No way!" Ryudo yelled to himself mentally. 

"What do you expect? You've been gone for a long time. Do you think Elena would wait an eternity for you to return? No. She would move on with her life. And apparently, she has chosen Paulk," Ryudo's conscience teased. 

"It can't be! Elena knew I would return to her someday. Besides, I didn't see them holding hands when they walked so there's probably nothing between them!" the Geohound said to his conscience. "Damn! I have to find Elena and talk to her later tonight," Ryudo cursed to himself silently. 

*** 

At the castle, in the audience room, Millenia and Tio were putting Cyrum's emblem on a wall with the help of a ladder. Roan was talking with the royal chef. He was telling the chef how much food he and his crew should cook for the evening party after tomorrow's festivities. 

"What kind of food are we going to serve to the people for the party tomorrow evening?" Roan asked. 

"We have crab soup, grilled ribs, turkey, salmon, omelettes, shrimps, and so much more, your Highness," the chef replied. 

Millenia and Tio were finally done putting the emblem up on the wall and got off the ladder. They examined it from below. "What do you think of the emblem? Do you think it is high enough or is it too low?" Tio asked. 

"I think it's perfect Miss Marionette," Millenia answered with a smile. 

*** 

Lance stood on a roof top of a house with his arms crossed over his chest while he examined the area below him. Like Ryudo, he was very exhausted and was looking for a place to stay. He did not like the area he was in. It was busy and noisy. He preferred a place that was nice and quiet. He then turned around to leave. Before he could jump to another roof top, he heard a scream from below and followed it. 

Lance found a young lady being attacked by a thief in an alley. The young lady had blonde hair, green eyes, and her height was about average. The young lady was trapped in a corner and the thief advanced on her with a pocket knife. Before the man could take another step, the Ninja jumped down from the roof. He ran to him and kicked him on the head from behind. The thief was knocked out unconscious. The young lady cowered in the alley's corner at the sight of the thief collapsing. The Ninja looked at her for a moment with sorrow in his eyes and then jumped back to the roof top as he heard approaching footsteps. 

Two knights arrived as soon as Lance left. "What happened here?" one of the knights asked. 

"I was attacked by a thief but then a man appeared and knocked him out. He left just seconds ago," the young lady answered. 

Lance was perched on top of a clock tower as he looked at the people below him. His short, spikey, turquoise hair danced with the breeze and his long, black leather coat flowed freely in the breeze like a cape. "Those green eyes... if it wasn't for those eyes... she would look exactly like her. Elena..." the Ninja sighed heavily. 

*** 

It was nightfall, Elena could not sleep again so she decided to go for another walk in the garden. After walking for a couple of minutes, she decided to sit down on a bench. In front of her, was a big water fountain. Watching the water flow from the fountain and hearing the splashes it made calmed her troubled heart. She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet scent of the garden. 

Elena opened her eyes as she heard someone clear his throat. She saw Ryudo sitting next to her with a smile on his face. 

Before she could say anything, Ryudo spoke. "Hi, Elena." 


	4. Feast Of The Damned

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Four : Feast Of The Damned 

Was it a dream? Ryudo was sitting right beside her. Elena pinched her arm. It hurt, she was awake then. "Ryudo..." Elena whispered to herself as her heart sank. 

"Elena? Are you okay?" the Geohound asked as tears formed in Elena's eyes. 

Elena threw herself at Ryudo and cried. "You have come! I cannot believe you are finally back! I was starting to think that you would never return..." she sobbed. 

"It's okay. I'm here," Ryudo whispered softly into her ear and embraced her. Elena stopped weeping as Ryudo tightened his embrace. She sighed and returned his hug, her face buried against his chest. The two just hugged each other for a few minutes that seemed like an eternity. Both did not say a word for words were hollow when it came to emotions and feelings. 

Elena finally broke their embrace. "Ryudo... I am happy to see you again. But... but... where have you been all this time? What have you been doing? Everyone really missed you." 

Ryudo smiled at her and looked into her ruby red eyes. "I'm sorry for disappearing like that. I just had to put the Granasaber away since it's no longer needed. Will you forgive me?" 

"Of course. Ryudo, do you want to go inside the castle and meet everyone? I am sure they would be happy to see you too." 

"It's late and I should be leaving now. Elena?" 

"Yes?" 

"Tomorrow is Cyrum Day. Would you like to spend the day with me?" 

Elena did not think twice. "I would love to." 

Ryudo stood up and held his hand out to Elena. She took it and let him help her get up. "I'll see you and the others here tomorrow at 9:00 AM okay? Good night, Elena." 

"Good night, Ryudo." 

The Geohound favoured her with a charming smile and left. As soon as Ryudo was gone, Elena squealed to herself in delight. Ryudo coming back was one thing but being asked out by him was a dream come true. Elena walked back to the castle with wings on her feet while she hummed Cançao Do Povo. 

Ryudo smacked his forehead as he got outside. Things did not go exactly as he had planned. He forgot to tell Elena how much she meant to him and even kiss her goodnight. He was nervous and worried that Elena might refuse to go out with him. At least his nervousness did not show though. Telling Elena his feelings would have to wait tomorrow. Ryudo put his hands in his pockets and walked back to the inn. 

*** 

Lance left the inn where he had spent the night and walked down a street. The Ninja wore "normal" clothes. No navy blue mask, no black leather coat, and no navy blue Ninja gi. He just simply wore a black shirt and black, baggy pants. He growled to himself in annoyance as the nice and quiet place was suddenly packed with people. Finding Elena would be a tough job. 

*** 

Roan and Tio stood in the lobby. Both were waiting for Elena and Millenia to get ready for the festival. "I wonder what is taking so long? Twenty minutes have passed," Roan asked. 

"I am not surprised about Millenia being up there for so long. You know how she is, she always wants to look her best no matter what the occasion is. But Elena on the other hand, she does not take this long to get dressed. She has been acting rather odd since breakfast," Tio answered. 

"You are right," Roan agreed. "Miss Elena has been humming to herself all morning and she looks so happy like before. Ever since her visit, she always looked troubled like there is something in her mind she could not get out." 

"Do you think it has anything to do with Ryudo?" 

"Maybe." 

Elena then came running downstairs. Her golden blonde hair was not tied into a braid. It flowed freely behind her shoulders as she ran. She wore a blue shirt and a pair of blue shorts. "Sorry to keep you two waiting," she apologized with her award winning smile. 

Tio returned her smile. "That is fine with me." 

"You look great, Miss Elena," Roan complimented. 

"Why thank you, Roan," Elena replied and looked at the clock on the wall. It was exactly nine o'clock. "I hope he gets here soon," she thought. 

"Hi there!" a voice called out from the hall. 

The three turned to look who called out. They saw Ryudo leaning against the wall with a smile on his face. He wore a pair of black shoes and a pair of khaki pants. He also wore an open, blue button-down shirt and a white tank top underneath it. 

"Ryudo!" Roan and Tio exclaimed and ran to him, Elena trailed behind them. 

"Mister Ryudo! You are finally back!" Roan said. 

"How have you been, Ryudo?" Tio asked. Roan and Tio started asking all sorts of questions like where the Geohound had been, why he had not contacted his friends for a long time, and many more. 

"Whoa! One question at a time," Ryudo said and laughed. "It's good to see you guys again. I'll explain later why I just disappeared like that..." 

Ryudo was cut off by a shriek. "Ryudo!" Millenia cried as soon as she saw the Geohound when she entered the lobby. She ran to the Geohound and gave him a deadly glare. "You idiot! Where have you been?! I've been worried sick about you!! How can you torture me like that?!" 

"S.. sorry Millenia. I just had some things to take care of," Ryudo apologized again. 

"I'll forgive you this time," Millenia snorted. 

"So, what brings you here, Ryudo?" Tio asked. 

"To see you guys of course!" Ryudo answered. 

"You are just in time, today is Cyrum Day. There are plenty of festivities out there. You will have a lot of fun," Roan said. 

Millenia walked over to Ryudo and wrapped her arm around his. "Say Ryudo, would you like to go with me on the love boat? It's going to be fun," Millenia purred to his ear. 

Ryudo freed himself from the red head. "Sorry Millenia but I... I already asked Elena out." 

Millenia glared at the Geohound. "You what?!" she growled. 

Elena walked over to Ryudo and grabbed his arm. "Come on Ryudo, let us go." 

"All right," Ryudo nodded. 

Ryudo and company left the lobby and went outside. The whole place was filled with people, laughter, and joy. Everyone looked busy. There were people playing "Catch A Gold Fish", some people were listening to a little Mau play his music with his father, some were playing arm wrestling with Hemble, and there were young couples that sat around the fountain at the town square while they held the others' hand. 

"So, what do you guys want to do? Try out the roller coaster or get some drinks first?" Millenia asked. 

"Millenia, I think you forgot your promise," Tio said. "You promised that you would help me buy some clothes today." 

"Are you out of your mind, Miss Marionette?! I didn't promise such a thing!!" Millenia snarled. 

"Yes, you did. Now let us get going." Tio grabbed Millenia's arm and dragged her away. 

Elena waved good bye at Millenia and Tio. "We will see you two later!" 

"Oh darn!" Roan said. 

Ryudo frowned. "What's the matter Roan?" 

"I forgot to tell Paulk something. I am returning to the castle. I will catch up with you later, okay? See you later!" Roan gave the two an embarrassed smile and left. 

"Something weird is going on," Ryudo said to himself. 

Elena nodded in agreement. "Well, I guess it is just the two of us now." 

"Where do you want to go?" Ryudo asked. 

"How about the fair?" 

"Sounds good to me," Ryudo smiled and took Elena's hand. 

Ryudo led Elena to the fair. He still held her hand and squeezed it every now and then to make sure he still had it. It felt good to hold Elena's hand while they walked around the fair. He had always fantasized of this moment and now it had turned into reality. All he had to do now was tell her his feelings and he would kiss her too but he would wait for the right moment. But... what if Elena did not feel the same way? He would make an idiot out of himself. Ryudo's heart raced and nervousness filled it. 

Elena gasped softly. "Ryudo, what is the matter? Your hand is cold and you have not said a word since we got here." 

Ryudo laughed nervously. "Oh it's nothing... I was just thinking." 

"Thinking about what?" 

"Lot's of things." Elena squeezed Ryudo's hand and it slowly became warm again. 

Elena studied Ryudo's face. He looked troubled. She wanted to know what bothered him but he looked like he did not want to talk about it. Elena gave him a smile. "Well, if you want to talk about anything, you can come and talk to me anytime." 

Ryudo returned her smile. "Thanks. Say, do you want to get some drinks before we start checking out this place?" 

"Okay," Elena nodded. 

Ryudo pointed at a bench. "You just wait there and I'll go get some drinks for us. I'll be back in a second." The Geohound let go of her hand and left. 

Elena sat on a bench and waited patiently. This would give her some time to think about how she was going to tell Ryudo her feelings for him and how much he meant to her. But how was she suppose to tell him and when? Elena was inexperienced in the field of love. Ryudo was the only man she had ever fallen in love with and she hardly knew anything about men. A few of the young men back at Carbo had tried hitting on her but she did not pay any attention to them for she was busy with the whole Granas business. Elena sighed heavily and hoped that Ryudo would make the first move if he had such intentions. 

Ryudo returned with two cups of drinks. He handed one of them over to Elena and sat down beside her. The two were unaware that a pair of ruby red eyes were watching them from a distance. "So Elena, I heard you're a minstrel now," Ryudo said after he took a sip from his drink. "How is it?" 

"Oh, I like what I do. I enjoy travelling with my band and performing in front of people. I also like the way people listen to my songs. They look so calm and peaceful when I sing. It is a very rewarding job. How about you? Are you still a Geohound?" 

"Yeah, but I don't work as much as I used to. I've worked so much in the past that I have enough money to last me for a little while." 

Elena took a sip from her drink. "Where have you been staying all this time? Did you return to Garlan?" 

Ryudo shook his head. "No, even though I've cleared my name in that place, it still brings back a lot of unpleasant memories. I don't plan on going back there anytime soon. Anyway, I just travelled a lot, I went from one town to another." 

"Unpleasant memories? Are you talking about Melfice?" 

"Yeah, I can't forget all the things he has done and all the suffering I had to go through. I lost my brother and my hometown. I was all alone until I met Skye, it was a very painful experience..." Ryudo looked down on his hands, they shook with pain and grief. 

Elena reached for his hands and held them tightly. "Ryudo... you do not have to be alone anymore," she thought. 

Ryudo looked at Elena. "Have you ever been alone Elena? Hmm... come to think of it, you haven't told me anything about your past or your family." 

Elena looked away. She was silent for awhile and when she spoke, her voice was really quiet. "I... I really do not remember much about my past..." A small tear formed in Elena's left eye but the breeze blew it away before it could flow down to her cheek. 

Ryudo examined Elena's face, she looked sad all of a sudden. "Are you feeling okay?" 

Elena gave him a fake smile. "Yes, I am fine." 

Ryudo got up from the bench and smiled at Elena. "Say, do you want to try out one of the rides?" 

Elena stood up. "Sure, I would be glad to." 

Before the two could walk away, they heard a scream and turned around just in time to see a Cathedral Knight thrust his sword into a man's stomach. Elena gasped, whimpered, and shook violently at the sight of the victim, who fell on the ground and formed a puddle of blood after the Knight withdrew his blade. 

Another Cathedral Knight appeared behind a bush and yelled, "Death to all the Dark Ones!!!" 

"Bloody Hell! What is all this?!" Ryudo growled as more Cathedral Knights appeared. 

"We... we have to do something," Elena whispered. 

"Yeah, but we've got to arm ourselves first," Ryudo replied and took Elena's hand. "Come on, I'm taking you back to the castle!" Elena nodded in agreement and the two left the fair. 

Lance, who had been spying on Ryudo and Elena from a distance, left the scene as well. 

*** 

When Ryudo and Elena got back to the castle, Skye, Millenia, Roan, and Tio were waiting for them in the lobby. 

"Ryudo! Miss Elena! I am relieved you made it back!" Roan cried happily. 

"Roan, what's going on here? Just where did those Cathedral Knights come from? And what do they want?" Ryudo asked. 

Roan shook his head. "I do not know, they just came out of nowhere. But, I have sent out my knights to find out." 

Millenia put her hands on her hips. "You know what? Why don't we go out there and kick some Holy butts? We should fight them first and then ask questions later." 

"Right, we have to stop them from destroying the city. You guys get in gear. I'll have to go back to my inn and get my equipment. I'll meet you at the town square, near the water fountain, in ten minutes, okay?" Ryudo said. 

Tio nodded in agreement. "Understood." 

Ryudo turned to Elena and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'll have to go now and I'm sorry things didn't turn out nicely." 

"It is all right and take care," Elena smiled. 

"I will. I'll see you later," Ryudo smiled back and ran out of the lobby. 

*** 

Lance was perched on top of a clock tower and watched the onslaught below him. His short, spikey turquoise hair danced with the breeze and his long, black leather coat flowed freely in the breeze like a cape. "My, this is such a great day. First I find Elena and then the Cathedral Knights... I like this," the Ninja chuckled to himself. 

Ryudo was dressed in his Geohound suit. Elena wore her Songstress clothes since she had nothing else to wear for battle. Millenia wore her red fighting outfit. Tio had her yellow fighting clothes on and Roan was dressed in his royal suit. 

"Where do we start looking for the Cathedral Knights?" Roan asked. 

Millenia pointed something behind them. "Oh, how about behind us?" 

"It is them, the Cathedral Knights," Tio gasped. 

Eight Cathedral Knights and a man wearing a light blue, hooded tunic entered the town square. The man waved his hand towards Ryudo and company and the Knights unsheathed their swords. 

Millenia cupped her hands on her chest and squealed. "Ooh, here they come. This is going to be great!" Millenia put her right hand forward and a big ball of fire formed on top of her head. "Ooh hey, how does that feel?!" she asked mockingly when she casted the Burn! spell. She hit one of the Knights but it was barely scratched from the attack. 

The Cathedral Knights ran towards their opponents while the hooded man stood still. One of them swung its sword at Ryudo but he managed to block it with the Maken Valborg. 

Tio raised her right hand in the air and then swung it forward. She fired a big, pink, flower like projectile. "Lotus Flower, bloom." The Lotus Flower hit two Knights and then it returned to Tio like a boomerang. The Knights flinched a bit and then continued to walk towards her. 

Roan fell on the ground after he received a kick from his opponent. The Knight raised its sword in the air with both hands. Before it could strike down Roan, Millenia fired an Arrow Shot at it. She hit it on the stomach and the Knight groaned in pain. 

The Young King got up from the ground and ran to Millenia. "Thanks Miss Millenia," he smiled. 

"No problem kid," Millenia smiled back and gave him a noogie. 

Elena noticed that Tio received a cut on her arm from a Knight's blade and immediately casted a Heal spell on her. "O Holy light of life!" The cut closed completely and the spell replenished Tio's energy. 

A Cathedral Knight punched Ryudo on the face and the Geohound fell on the ground. "Damn, that hurts," Ryudo groaned in pain as he stood up. He then saw a Knight was about to strike down Elena from behind. "Elena, behind you! ELENA!!" he yelled and ran after her but his opponent blocked his way. Ryudo snarled and dispatched the Knight with a Tenseiken Slash. 

Elena turned around just in time to see the Knight bring down his sword. Elena knelt down and closed her eyes, ready to meet her doom. She then felt something quick lift her off the ground. Curious, she opened her eyes and found that she was cradled in the arms of Lance. 

Lance put Elena on the ground and looked at her with concern in his eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked. 

"I am fine," Elena answered. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes. Thank you for saving me. Who are you?" 

"There will be time for that later. For now, we have to get out of here, Elena." 

Elena stood up. "No, I cannot leave my friends behind." Elena turned around to leave and then paused for a second. "He knew my name! But how?" she thought and turned around to face the Ninja. Before Elena could say something, Ryudo arrived with Skye flying behind him. 

"Elena, you're okay!" he said. 

Elena pointed her index finger at Lance. "Thanks to him." 

Ryudo frowned. "You again? What are you doing here?!" 

Lance glared ice cold daggers at the Geohound. "I was about to ask you the same thing." 

"Hello! A little help out here?!!!" Millenia called out, who was cornered by three Knights. One of the Knights punched her on the stomach and another one punched her on the face. Millenia glared at her opponents and snarled. She bent down to her waist and sprouted black wings. "DON'T MESS WITH ME!!!" she screamed in anguish as she levitated from the ground. 

Purple balls of lightning formed behind Millenia. She spun around and waved her hand towards the Knights. "DEEP FRIED GOODNESS!" she screeched as the balls of lightning flew towards the Knights. The balls of lightning circled around their targets and formed into a huge, electric purple dome. The Knights were trapped inside the dome and were being shocked by lightning. After awhile, the dome vanished and left the Knights paralyzed. 

Ryudo put his hand on his forehead. "Uh oh, Millenia's going nuts again." 

Millenia laughed and casted a Burnflame spell on the Knights to finish them off. "Hey, check this out!" 

"The ultimate secret! True Dragon Rise!" Roan said as he rushed toward a Knight. He slashed his opponent continuously with his Gladius and finished the assault with a flying slash attack. The Young King backed away a bit and let Tio finish it off with a Fast Dance-Whirl. 

The hooded man snapped his fingers and the remaining Cathedral Knights stopped fighting. The Knights sheathed their swords and returned to him. 

"Who are you? Why did you do this?!" Roan demanded. 

The hooded man simply laughed. "The testing of the Cathedral Knights was successful, there's no need to stay here any longer..." he whispered to himself. 

A strong breeze blew against the hooded man. His hood fell off his head and his identity was revealed. 

Ryudo's skin went pale and his jaw dropped. "I don't believe it... it's... it's Gatta..." 


	5. Dark Light

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Five : Dark Light 

Ryudo took a step forward and clenched his fists. "Gatta! What do you think you're doing? Have you lost your mind?! Why did you order this?!" Ryudo demanded. 

Gatta smirked sinisterly. "Hmph, we're doing the world a favour. Valmar maybe gone but his followers still remain. In order for the world to prosper, we must get rid of everything that is Evil. We plan on starting here, Cyrum, the Kingdom of the Dark Ones." 

"But we are not the Dark Ones anymore!" Roan protested. 

"Ha! You're nuts!" Millenia said mockingly. 

Gatta yawned. "I still have plenty of work to do and I'm wasting time standing here and talking to you." 

"Wait! Where are you going?" Ryudo asked. 

"That's none of your business but don't worry, we'll meet again. We'll come for the Young King and the red head, all that is Dark must perish. Oh and Ryudo, stay out of our way next time unless you plan on joining Melfice in Hell," Gatta replied and turned around to leave. Gatta put his hood back on and left. 

Ryudo sighed and stood still, he had no idea on how to respond to the current situation. Elena just looked at Ryudo sympathetically. Lance leaned on a lamp post with his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest. Roan stood still as well while his fists shook violently on his sides. 

"We cannot let him get away, after what he has done," Tio said to break the awkward silence. 

"She's right. Judging the way he talked, he's not the only one responsible for this chaos," Millenia added. 

"Let us follow him!" Roan snarled under his breath. 

"You're right," Ryudo nodded. 

"Are you sure you want to do this, Ryudo?" Elena asked. 

"Yes," Ryudo answered. 

Skye nudged his head towards Lance. "What about him?" 

Roan gave the Ninja a smile. "Thank you for helping us fight our enemy." 

Lance opened his eyes and gave the Young King a cold glare. "I just did it to save Elena, not you or your friends." 

"Just who the Hell are you?! What are you doing here?!! You just seem to be popping all over the place!!" Ryudo demanded. 

"The name's Lance," he scowled at the Geohound. 

"What an attitude," Skye whispered to Millenia's ear. 

"I like it," Millenia whispered back. 

"Thank you for saving me Mister Lance," Elena said and took a respectful bow. 

Lance's expression softened a bit. "Don't mention it." He then looked at the rest of the group who just stared at him. "What are you looking at? Aren't we suppose to go after that lunatic and the Cathedral Knights?!" 

Ryudo gave the Ninja a mocking look. "What do you mean by "we"?" 

"I'm after the Cathedral Knights too, I've got a score to settle. We've got a common foe, so why not take me with you? My skills will be of great use." 

"We will be happy to have you accompany us," Elena replied. 

"I don't trust this guy Elena," Ryudo said. 

Lance chuckled. "Why not?" 

"The enemy is going to get away if we do not stop arguing," Tio said. 

Ryudo sighed. "All right, he can come for now." 

"The enemy headed towards east," Millenia told everyone. 

"And that's where we're going too," Ryudo replied and ran to follow the enemy, with the others right behind him. 

*** 

Outside the Kingdom of Cyrum, in the plains, Gatta boarded a small airship with the remaining Cathedral Knights. Gatta went to the control room and ordered a Cathedral Knight to start the ship. 

"We're going back to base," he commanded. The Knight nodded back and started the ship's engine. The ship roared and rumbled as it started to rise from the ground. "Uru will be pleased with today's work." Gatta laughed maliciously and then suddenly fell on the floor as the ship rocked from an explosion. "What in the name of Granas is going out there?!" he asked. 

The Knight on the pilot seat shrugged and continued doing its job. 

Gatta growled and stormed out of the control room. On the deck, he found Ryudo and company facing off with his Cathedral Knights. "Ryudo! What do you think you and your pals are doing?! You'll kill us all!!!" he hissed. 

Millenia did not pay attention to Gatta and casted a Burn! spell. The ball of fire flew towards a Cathedral Knight but it dodged the attack. The fireball hit a part of the ship's wing instead and started a fire. 

Roan took out his Gladius. "We cannot let you get away after what you have done to my country!" 

Ryudo unsheathed the Maken Valborg. "We're ending things here and now Gatta." 

"Bah, even if you stop us, it still won't matter. All that is Dark shall perish, that I assure you," Gatta snorted. 

Millenia took out her Black Angel Bow. "You know what?! All of this "all that is Dark shall perish" stuff is starting to irritate me." Millenia took out an arrow and kissed its tip. She put it on her bow and aimed for a Knight. "This may sting a little," she said as she fired the arrow. She hit a Knight on the forehead. Thick, blue blood trickled down from the Knight's forehead to its cheeks. The Knight fell on the floor and formed a puddle of blue blood. 

"Accursed Dark One!" Gatta snarled and unsheathed his sword. Before he could attack, he fell on the floor again as the ship rocked violently. The fire on the ship's wing had gotten bigger. Gatta laughed. "Now, we're all going to die!" 

Ryudo looked alarmed. "This ship is going to crash! Everyone! Hold on to something!" 

The ship's wing exploded and everyone held on to something as the ship began to descend real quick. Everyone shut their eyes and hoped that they would survive the crash. 

*** 

Lance slowly got up from the ground and groaned in pain. His whole body was sore and his head felt like a rhinoceros stomped on it. He opened his eyes but his vision was blurry. He then closed his eyes and put his hand on the side of his head. He shook his head and when he opened his eyes, his vision was a little bit better. 

Debris was scattered around the Ninja's surroundings. Lance rubbed his eyes and his vision was back to normal. Finally, he was able to identify bodies. First he saw Tio, Roan, Millenia, and then Ryudo but whether they were alive or not did not matter to him. He was only concerned about Elena. Lance found Elena laying under a tree and ran to her. 

Lance knelt beside Elena and shook her arm. "Elena, wake up." Elena just laid still. He checked her pulse, she was alive. He shook her shoulders this time. "Elena, please wake up." 

Skye, who flew to safety before the ship crashed, landed on Ryudo's chest and pecked his cheek lightly. "Hey! Wake up!" 

Ryudo moaned in pain and then opened his eyes. Skye spread out his wings and took to the air. Ryudo got up and checked his body for any signs of injury. "Where are we Skye?" 

Skye nudged his head towards Elena and Lance. "We'll figure that out later. We have to check up on the others." 

Ryudo looked alarmed. "Elena!" he yelled and ran towards her while Skye checked up on Millenia, Roan, and Tio. He knelt beside her and held her hand. "Elena, wake up!" 

"Hmph." Lance stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. 

Elena's eyes opened slowly and saw Ryudo kneeling beside her. "Ryu... Ryudo?" 

Ryudo smiled and sighed in relief. "Elena! Are you okay?!" 

Ryudo released Elena's hand as she sat up. "I am fine." 

Millenia and the others then arrived. "Man, that was one nasty fall," Millenia said. 

"Is everyone unharmed?" Roan asked. Everyone just nodded yes. "I am relieved." 

Tio looked around for any signs of Gatta and his Knights. "Where do you think Gatta is?" 

Ryudo stood up. "I don't know but they probably survived the crash too. Before we go after them, we have to find out where we are first." 

"We're in the St. Heim pastures," Lance replied and pointed something ahead of them, a city. "That city has to be St. Heim. We couldn't have gotten that far from Cyrum." 

"So, should we go to St. Heim?" Elena asked as she got up from the ground and dusted dirt off of her clothes. 

"Yeah, we should, everyone is beat. We need a place where we could spend the night anyway," Ryudo answered. 

*** 

The group checked in in an inn. Ryudo, Roan, and Lance stayed in one room while Elena, Millenia, and Tio shared another. As soon as Ryudo entered their room, he laid down on the bed. Roan did the same thing while Lance crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. 

"Damn! My body feels like it's been stomped by a herd of elephants," Ryudo complained and then sighed in relief as the soft bed relaxed him a bit. 

Roan sat up from his bed. "Aren't you going to rest... uh... Lance, that is your name, right?" 

"I'm okay," was just the Ninja's reply and turned around to leave. Lance sighed to himself and left the room. 

"I wonder what that guy is up to?" Ryudo asked. 

"I do not know but I am glad he showed up when Elena was about to get, you know. If it was not for him, Elena might be..." Roan answered and then Ryudo cut him off. 

"I know that! I'm glad he came when he did but I don't trust him. If he wants to travel with us, the least he could do is show us his face and tell us why he's after the Cathedral Knights." 

"Well, you know, he IS a Ninja." Roan took out his Gladius and began to wipe the blade with a small, white piece of cloth. Roan also knew that Ryudo was not too fond of Lance because he had saved Elena back in Cyrum, not him. That fact alone irritated the Geohound. Ryudo should have also seen his face when Lance tried to wake Elena up at the crash site. He looked like an angry, jealous lover. 

Ryudo just laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He wondered what Elena was doing right now and just what the Ninja was up to. 

*** 

As soon as Elena entered their room, she sighed and collapsed on her bed. "I am exhausted." 

Tio sat down at the edge of her bed. "I am tired and sore from the fight and that crash too. Fortunately, my systems received minimal damaged." 

"Quit complaining. Ha! I'm betting there's going to be more fighting ahead so get used to it. And be thankful that we actually survived that crash," Millenia said. 

"We survived the crash because I put up a protective barrier around us before the ship started to fall out of the sky," Tio replied. 

Elena sat up from her bed. "I wonder if Gatta and the Cathedral Knights survived." 

"Who cares? If he died, good, we don't have to deal with him anymore. If he made it, we'll find him sooner or later and then kill him," Millenia snorted. 

Elena ignored Millenia's comment and turned to Tio. "I wonder how Ryudo is taking this." 

"I do not know. He has not mentioned Gatta's name since the crash. Try talking to him later, I am sure he would appreciate that," Tio answered. 

Millenia walked over to her bed and sat down. "Speaking of Ryudo, just what did you two do before the attack? Come on, sister, give me the details!" 

Elena looked away as she started to blush. "Things did not go exactly as I planned..." she thought. 

Millenia cocked up an eyebrow. "Well?" 

Elena faced her "twin" and put up a fake smile. "We just talked." 

Millenia did not look satisfied with the answer. "Yeah right. I bet you tried to get Ryudo to kiss you." 

"I did not do such a thing!!" Elena protested and shot a dirty look at her dark counter part but Millenia returned it with a sweet smile to irritate the EX-Songstress further. 

Tio looked at the clock on the wall. "Look, it is time for dinner. Let us go to the dining room downstairs. I am sure Roan and the others are waiting for us." 

"Now that you mention it, I'm a little hungry." Millenia stretched her arms and got off her bed. Elena and Tio stood up and followed Millenia out of the room. 

When the girls got to the dining room, the food was ready and Ryudo and Roan were seated on the table. "All right! Everyone is here! Let's start eating!" Ryudo smiled. Millenia and Tio sat down while Elena stood where she was. 

"Are we not forgetting someone? Where is Lance?" Elena asked. 

"Oh, him. He left. He didn't really say where he was going," Ryudo answered glumly. 

Elena sat down beside Ryudo. "Do you think he will come back?" 

Ryudo took a sip from his drink. "Who knows? Come on Elena, stop worrying about the guy. He's not your responsibility. Besides, I think he can take care of himself." 

Elena did not say anything and started eating her mashed potatoes. 

"So, Ryudo what is our next move?" Millenia asked. 

"We'll ask the people around here if they saw Gatta or know anything about him. If we don't get any information, we'll look around the place. If he survived, he shouldn't be too far from here and shouldn't be too hard to find," Ryudo answered. 

Millenia smiled. "Are you going to kill him when you find him?" 

Ryudo was speechless. 

"Millenia!" Tio scolded at the red head. 

"We will not kill Gatta. We will ask questions first, right Ryudo?" Roan said. 

"R.. right," Ryudo nodded and continued eating. 

Elena wiped her mouth with a napkin. "I wonder what drove Gatta to do such a thing? And the Cathedral Knights... I thought they were gone." 

"Just what are the Cathedral Knights anyway?" Tio asked. 

Ryudo finally finished his meal. "I don't know... Bah, I'm getting a headache from all these questions. I'm going outside and get some fresh air." Ryudo stood up from his chair and left the dining room. 

Millenia ate all of her food. "I'm done eating. Toodles," Millenia smiled and left. 

*** 

Ryudo stood outside the inn and breathed in the evening fresh air. "Damn, what's happening?! First, my plans with Elena didn't turn out the way I wanted it to and now Gatta. What the Hell is this?!! What am I suppose to do?!!" he thought. The Geohound felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Millenia with a smile on her face. "What do you want?" Ryudo asked coldly. 

"I came here to talk to you." 

"What do you want to talk about?" 

"Why her?! Why HER?!!" Millenia asked. Her voice was harsh and cold. 

"You mean Elena." 

"You love her, don't you?!! That's why you asked her out and not me! I thought you loved me, Ryudo. What happened to you?! Did someone smack you on the head with a big, wooden mallet and forgot that?!!" 

"Millenia, I said that I love BOTH of you. But, after a lot of thinking I realized I love Elena more. I've loved her from the start. I love everything about her, her golden blonde hair, those ruby red eyes, her voice, her kind heart... everything. And I know my feelings for her are true. I'd do anything for her, even if it means risking my life." 

"What is it that Elena have that I don't?! If you love her more because she can sing, well I can learn how to sing too. There's nothing she can do that I can't." 

"It's not that, Millenia." 

"What is it then?!" 

"I don't think it was love that I felt for you. I think it was guilt. I was always hard on you but you helped Elena save me from the Horns of Valmar. I guess I said that I love you at the Spring of Love because I didn't want to hurt you, not after what you've done for me. I love you Millenia but not like Elena... I'm sorry. I should have told you that before." 

Millenia was speechless. She growled and then casted a Burnflame spell on a tree. She glared ice cold daggers at Ryudo and stormed back to the inn. 

"Millenia wait!" Ryudo called out but Millenia ignored him. Ryudo extinguished the burning tree with a weak Crackle spell and then shook his head. "Man, what the Hell am I doing?!" Ryudo asked out loud. 

"The right thing. It's good that you told her that now," Skye answered, who was perched on top of a lamp post. 

"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Ryudo sighed. 

"She will, eventually," Skye answered. 

*** 

Elena stood in the balcony. She sighed to herself and smiled as she looked at the sky. The sky was filled with stars, the moon shone happily, and best of all, Valmar's moon was gone permanently. 

"Enjoying the view?" a voice asked from behind. 

Elena turned around and saw Lance without his navy blue mask. He was handsome and what a tragedy it would have been if he was really ugly under that mask. Elena looked into the Ninja's ruby red eyes, they were void of any feelings or emotions. She was about to ask him a question but she saw the expression on Lance's face. He was expecting an answer from her. "Yes, the sky looks beautiful tonight." Elena turned around and stared at the horizon. "I have always looked at the sky and marvel at its beauty on nights like this but then I would see Valmar's moon. Seeing that moon always made me sad, it reminded me all of the suffering Valmar caused. I am glad that moon is gone now." 

Lance walked over to Elena and stood beside her. Lance spoke in his usual cold, monotone voice. "I heard you were a Songstress in a Church of Granas back at Carbo." 

Elena was a bit surprised from Lance's statement. "Yes... I was, but seeing that there is no need for Gods anymore, I decided to become a minstrel." 

"Do you miss your family back at Carbo?" 

"I do not have a family back at Carbo. I... I was an orphan." 

"Really? How come?" 

"I... I do not know. I cannot remember much about my past." 

Lance looked disappointed. "I see." 

"I am sorry." 

"It's okay. Say, where's Ryudo? There's something you guys need to see." 

"Did you find something important about Gatta?" 

"Could be." Lance put his mask back on. "Look, I'll go find Ryudo and you get the others." 

"Okay," Elena nodded and left. 

Lance looked down from the balcony and saw Ryudo standing under a lamp post. The Ninja jumped off the balcony and landed right behind Ryudo. The Geohound turned around to go back to the inn and gasped as he realized that Lance was standing right in front of him. 

"Would you stop doing that?!!" Ryudo growled. 

"There's something you and the others should see," Lance said. 

"What is it? This better be good." 

"Don't worry, it'll be worth your time." 

Elena and the others then arrived. "Did you find something about the enemy, Lance?" Roan asked. 

"Yeah," Lance nodded. 

"What is it?" Tio asked. 

"Look, ask questions later. For now, come with me," Lance said impatiently and turned around to leave. The Ninja walked down a street with the others trailing behind him. 

"Where are we going?" Elena asked. 

"To a church of Granas," Lance answered. 

Millenia kicked a small rock off the sidewalk. "What are we going to do at a rickety old church?!" 

"I spent the night here in St. Heim a couple of days ago. When I arrived here, a man hired me to exterminate everyone in the church," Lance replied. 

Roan watched a red car pass by them. "Did you do it?" 

"I had to. Anyway, I heard the priest talking about something the children of Granas." 

Ryudo frowned. "What do you think that could be?" 

"We might find out when we get there." 

"Are you saying that the church where we are going is more than a place where people worship Granas?" Roan asked. 

"Yeah, I looked for the man that hired me. I squeezed some information out of him and according to him, the place is more than a church." 

"Are we there yet?!" Millenia said impatiently. 

"We are." Lance pointed something to their left, the church was just across the street. 

The group crossed the street and went inside the church. The church was empty and it looked like the place has not been visited for days. The floor and the seats were dusty and the statue of Granas by the entrance could use some polishing. 

"My, this place is deserted," Elena said. 

"What do you expect? People were killed here, people tend to stay away from places like these. Besides, with the priest gone, who's suppose to hold the mass?" Ryudo snorted. 

"This better be quick because I can't stand this place!" Millenia said impatiently. 

"We are here. What are we suppose to do now?" Roan asked. 

"Look around," Lance answered. 

Tio frowned and pointed at the wall. "There is a hidden door over there." 

"A door, eh?" Millenia cracked her knuckles. "All right, stand back! I'll blow that wall with a Howlslash!" 

"Wait! Don't do that! We don't want to attract attention!" Ryudo scolded. 

"Fine, YOU find another way to get in!!!" Millenia snarled. 

"Tio, can you find a way to get to the hidden door?" Roan asked. 

Tio nodded. "Yes, over there!" Tio pointed at the organ. "Play the organ and the door shall open." 

Roan walked over to the organ and played it. The wall rumbled and the hidden entrance was revealed. The group entered the door and found themselves in a place that seemed like a factory. 

"Whoa! I wonder what goes on down here?" Ryudo asked. Skye flew away from Ryudo's shoulder. 

Roan pointed something ahead of them. "Look, over there!" Roan ran to a couple of big glass tanks with the others behind him. There were Cathedral Knights in the glass tanks. The tanks were filled with a light blue liquid and there were small tubes attached to the Knights' arms and legs. 

"It is the Cathedral Knights!" Elena gasped. 

"So, this place is a factory that make these guys?" Ryudo scoffed. 

"They were not human after all," Tio commented. 

"So these are the children of Granas... but why would they call them that?" Lance thought. 

"I cannot believe that the church of Granas would make these... things to kill people," Elena said sadly. 

"Not people, just the "Dark Ones"," Roan sighed heavily. 

"Ryudo!" Skye called out from the end of the hall. 

Ryudo ran to Skye. "What is it?!" 

Skye nudged his head to the left. "Look over there." 

Ryudo turned to his left and walked down a path. He found another glass tank covered with dust. He wiped the dust off with his hand to see what was in the tank. Ryudo gasped and backed away instantly. There was a person in the tank. Ryudo took a step forward and looked at the person closely. "No way... it's Melfice." 


	6. Brotherly Love

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Six : Brotherly Love 

Ryudo's body shook violently and his heart raced. "Mel... Melfice? Is that really you?" he stuttered mentally. 

Skye flew towards Ryudo and rested on his shoulder. "What do you think?" 

"It can't be Melfice! He's dead!" Ryudo thought. The Geohound walked over to the tank and touched it with his hand. "Melfice... brother..." Ryudo did not know whether to cry or laugh. Seeing his brother again erased all the pain and memories of losing him at the Plateau of Memories. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to yell, he wanted the whole world to know his brother was alive. At the same time he was afraid, afraid that the person in the tank was not Melfice. 

"Ryudo!" Elena called out from the end of the hall. Ryudo did not respond, he just stared at Melfice. Melfice wore his silver armour, red cape, but his head gear with the gigantic horn was gone because it would not have fitted in the tank. Elena ran to the Geohound with the others behind her. 

"Oh, so you found him," Roan said. 

Ryudo was finally aware of the others' presence. "Wha... What?" 

Tio held a small book in front of Ryudo. "This is Zera's journal, we found it and it lead us here to Melfice." 

Ryudo frowned. "What?!" 

"The journal said that Melfice was hidden here but it did not say for what purpose or why," Tio replied. 

Millenia looked at Melfice closely and noticed how much he resembled Ryudo and how handsome he looked without his horned helmet. "I wonder what Zera did to him?" she thought. 

"So, the person in there is really Melfice. If that is Melfice, then who was the person that got possessed by the Horns of Valmar?" Roan asked. 

Ryudo unsheathed the Maken Valborg. "I don't know and I don't care! My brother is alive and that's all that matters to me right now!" The Geohound raised his sword in the air to strike the tank. 

"Ryudo, what are you doing?" Elena asked. 

"I'm going to set my brother free!" Ryudo answered. 

"Ryudo! Wait!" Tio cried. "The glass tank is a life support system. If you destroy it, you might kill Melfice too." 

Ryudo put his sword down. "How do we get him out of there then?" 

Tio walked over to a control panel beside the tank. "This system will deactivate the tank without endangering Melfice." 

"Is it safe to take him out of there? What if he attacks us when he gets out?" Millenia asked. 

Tio shook her head. "I do not think Melfice would attack us. He is no longer tainted by the Horns of Valmar." Tio pressed a bunch of buttons on the control panel and the machine stopped humming. The light blue liquid in the tank then drained out. The tank emitted steam as the hatch opened. "It is done." 

Ryudo took a deep breath and walked over to Melfice. "Brother?" Melfice did not answer. 

"He is still unconscious," Tio said. 

"We're taking him back to the inn then," Ryudo replied shortly. Ryudo took Melfice's arm and put it over his shoulder. 

Roan walked over to Melfice and put his other arm around his shoulder. "I will help you." 

Ryudo smiled at the Young King gratefully. "Thank you." The two then slowly took out Melfice from the glass tank. 

"Well, well, if it isn't Ryudo and friends," Gatta chuckled from behind. 

"Gatta!" Ryudo cried in surprise. 

Gatta narrowed his eyes at Melfice. "It looks like you found your big brother, yay." Gatta snapped his fingers and five Cathedral Knights entered the room. 

"Ryudo, you better escape with Melfice. We will take care of the enemy," Elena suggested. 

"What about you? I can't leave you here," Ryudo refused. 

"I will be fine. Millenia, Tio, and Lance are with me," Elena smiled assuredly. 

Ryudo shook his head. "No way! What if something happens to you?!" 

"Just go, okay?!! We can handle ourselves!!" Millenia snapped. 

"They will be fine Ryudo. Come on, let us go," Roan said. 

"All right, let's go," Ryudo agreed reluctantly. "Take care you guys." 

"Silver," Tio said and casted Howlslash on their enemies. The attack sent Gatta and the Knights flying to one side of the room. 

"This is our chance!" Roan said. 

Ryudo nodded in agreement and the two left the room with Melfice. 

Elena took out her Guardian Staff as their enemies recovered from Tio's attack. "Get ready." 

"Ha! You don't need to tell me!" Millenia snorted. She took out her Black Angel Bow and fired an arrow at one of the Knights. "DIE!" she hissed and hit the Knight's right arm. The Knight grunted in pain and dropped its sword. 

Tio ran towards one of the Knights and attacked it with her Angel Circle. "Critical Strike." The Knight dodged the attack and countered by punching the Automata on the stomach. He then punched her again on the head and hammered her back with his fist. Tio moaned out in pain and fell on the floor. 

"TIO!" Elena cried and immediately casted Healer on her. 

The Knight brought its leg up to squash the Automata. Tio looked up from the floor and jumped away just in time to avoid the Knight's foot. The Knight raised its sword to strike her down. 

"Hey, leave her alone!" Millenia hissed and hurled a Burn! spell at the Knight. She hit the Knight on the stomach and the blow knocked down the enemy. 

Tio saw a Knight advancing at Millenia and threw a Lotus Flower at it. The Knight flinched a bit but it gave the red head a chance to run back to give her more distance between her and her opponent. Millenia bent down to her waist and sprouted black wings on her back to finish the enemy off with Grudging Claws. "Hmm, fresh ground hamburger." 

Two Cathedral Knights attacked Lance at once. He ducked as one of them swung its sword forward. He took a step backwards and blocked a punch from the other with his Falchion. "I've waited a long time for this," he muttered and back flipped away. The Ninja glared ice cold daggers at his opponents and raised his katana into the air with both hands. The Falchion's blade glowed with a blue aura and the Ninja then slashed downwards. "Get ready! Dark Slash!" He fired two blue crescent projectiles with his Falchion. The attack hit his enemies' hands and knocked away their swords. "That's much better." 

He dashed forward with his katana held forward by both hands. When he was just about six feet away from his opponents, he vanished into thin air. The Knights scratched their heads in confusion and looked at each other. The two of them shrugged as if they were saying, "Where did he go?" 

Lance reappeared behind them. Quickly, he swept one of the Knight's legs to knock it down. He then plunged his katana into the other Knight's stomach as soon as it turned around to face him. He gave his opponent a mocking look and twisted his katana around to add more pain to his enemy. Lance withdrew his katana from its stomach and let it fall on the ground. He then walked over to the other Knight and put his left arm forward. His hand was aimed straight for its head and then fire emerged from his palm. "You're finished. Dark Flare!" he whispered coldly and a big blast of flame flew towards his enemy's head to silence it permanently. 

The Ninja then turned around just in time to receive a punch on the face from another Cathedral Knight. The attack sent the Ninja flying to a wall. "Damn, I can't take much more of this," he growled. Elena, Millenia, and Tio ran towards the Ninja. 

"Gatta has summoned more Cathedral Knights. We are out numbered," Tio said. 

Lance looked up. There were twelve Cathedral Knights in the room now. "I don't believe this," he thought. 

"We need to get out of here," Elena suggested. 

"I hate to say this, but she's right," Millenia agreed. 

The Cathedral Knights began to advance at Elena and the group. Each time they stepped forward, the group stepped backwards and were soon trapped in a corner. "What are we suppose to do now?" Tio asked. 

"Damn, I'd rather stay here and fight to the end but Elena... revenge will have to wait," Lance told himself mentally and took out a black sphere. He dropped it and as soon as it touched the ground, it exploded and smoke soon filled the room. "Let's get out of here," he said to the others in a low voice and ran to the exit with the others not far behind. 

Gatta coughed violently. "Go after them! Don't let them get away!" he growled. The Knights were unable to see anything and just bumped into each other when they tried to move. When the smoke finally cleared, Elena and the others were gone. Gatta snarled to himself and unsheathed his sword. "Shit!" he cursed loudly and threw his sword towards a Cathedral Knight. The sword pierced the Knight's chest and fell on the ground. 

*** 

Ryudo and Roan brought Melfice to the inn, in a separate room. Ryudo and Roan gently laid down Melfice on the bed. "Ugh, we finally made it," Ryudo sighed. "Thanks for paying for Melfice's room, Roan." 

"Think nothing of it," Roan replied. "When do you think he will wake up?" 

Ryudo shook his head. "I don't know. His breathing and pulse are normal. What do you think is wrong with him?" 

"Do not worry, Ryudo. I am certain he will wake up soon," Roan said. 

Ryudo pulled up a chair to the bed to watch over his sleeping brother. "Melfice, you've been alive all this time. I wonder what Zera did to you. Hmm, it doesn't really matter, you're alive and that's what counts. I can't wait for you to wake up. There's so many things I want to ask you and tell you about," he thought. 

The door in the room opened and Elena and company entered. "Elena!" Ryudo cried happily. 

"I am glad you made it," Roan smiled. 

"We just barely escaped," Tio said. 

Ryudo frowned. "What?!" 

"We were unable to defeat Gatta and the Cathedral Knights, they out numbered us," Elena replied. 

"How did you escape?" Ryudo asked. 

Elena turned to look at Lance. "Lance used a smoke bomb to help us get away." 

Ryudo got up from his chair and walked over to Elena. "I'm glad you made it back here safely." 

Elena cupped her hands together on her chest. "But what about Gatta?" 

"I don't know what possessed Gatta to do those kind of things but I intend to find out. When Melfice wakes up, I'm going back to Garlan," the Geohound answered. He walked back to his chair and sat down to watch over his brother again. 

There was a moment of silence in the room. Everyone just exchanged looks while Ryudo watched over Melfice. Elena did not know how to comfort Ryudo. The only thing she could do was to sympathize with him. He must be stressed out with Melfice back from the dead and with Gatta running around with the Cathedral Knights. Millenia had no intentions of speaking to Ryudo for now, she was still angry with him. Roan and Tio were too tired to say anything. Lance leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and with his eyes closed as if he was planning his next course of action. Skye was perched on the windowsill and thought how Melfice was going to be like when he wakes up. 

Ryudo noticed how quiet it got in the room and spoke, "You know, you don't have to stand there all night. Why won't you guys get some rest and I'll watch over Melfice." 

"No, we are staying with you," Roan protested. 

"No, you guys rest. You need it," Ryudo insisted. 

"What about you?" Elena asked. 

"I'll be okay." 

Elena nodded. "All right. If you need anything though Ryudo, just come and get us for help." 

"Thanks," Ryudo smiled and watched his friends leave the room. 

*** 

Five hours have passed and Melfice still did not wake up but Ryudo still watched over him. Not once did his eyes close, he watched over his brother like an eagle guarding its nest. 

"Melfice, when will you wake up?" the Geohound whispered to himself. 

Elena entered the room and walked over to Ryudo. "Ryudo, it's 5:00 AM and you are still awake!" she gasped. 

Ryudo slumped in his chair. "I can't sleep, someone needs to watch over Melfice. I need to be here when he wakes up." 

"I know that... but look at yourself, you look really tired and could use some sleep." 

"But what about my brother?" 

"Me and the others will watch over him. We'll come and get you when he wakes up, okay?" 

"I don't know..." 

Elena grabbed Ryudo's arm and tried to pull him off the chair. She was unsuccessful for he was too heavy for her. "Go to sleep Ryudo," she insisted. 

"All right, all right... geez," Ryudo grumbled and stood up. "You will wake me up when Melfice does, right?" 

"Correct. Now, go to your room," Elena teased and turned Ryudo around. Reluctantly, the Geohound walked all the way to the door and stopped. 

"Thanks Elena," Ryudo smiled. 

"Do not mention it. Sweet dreams Ryudo," Elena smiled back and watched Ryudo leave the room. 

Elena walked over to the chair and sat down. She watched Melfice for an hour and then Roan took her place. Tio replaced Roan when his shift was done while Skye and Lance were on the look out for Gatta and the Cathedral Knights. When another hour passed, Millenia took over. 

Millenia sat down on the chair next to Melfice's bed but she did not really watch him. Her thoughts were focused on Ryudo. He finally made a choice and it was not her. It hurt to learn that he loved little "Miss Prissy" more than her. It hurt to be rejected. It hurt not to be wanted. It hurt to be lonely. Ryudo was the only man she ever loved and he was gone. Why did Ryudo pick Elena over her? Most men would kill to have just a date with her. What did Elena have that she did not? They were the same person after all. 

"What is wrong... with me?" Millenia whispered to herself as tears threatened to flood her eyes. She then shook her head in protest and fought her tears back. "I'm not going to cry over Ryudo!" she told herself sternly. 

Millenia was obviously more glamorous, more beautiful, and had a better figure than Elena. So, why?! Why did Ryudo leave her? Ryudo's words then entered Millenia's mind. 

_"I don't think it was love that I felt for you. I think it was guilt. I was always hard on you but you helped Elena save me from the Horns of Valmar. I guess I said that I love you at the Spring of Love because I didn't want to hurt you, not after what you've done for me. I love you Millenia but not like Elena... I'm sorry. I should have told you that before."_

Guilt. Pity. Ryudo thought he loved her because of that? 

"What am I suppose to do now? I'm all alone again..." The thought of being alone and the pain that plagued her heart came at her all at once. Millenia curled herself into a tight ball and buried her face in her hands. Tears slowly flowed down her cheeks and soft sobs escaped her lips. 

Melfice groaned in his "sleep" but Millenia did not hear it. He shifted a bit on the bed and caused the bed to creak. Millenia heard him move and wiped her tears away quickly. She sat up straight on the chair and composed herself. Melfice slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Millenia, who just stared at him. 


	7. Lost And Found

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Seven : Lost And Found 

Melfice's emerald green eyes burned into Millenia's ruby red eyes as if he was mesmerized by them. Melfice shook his head and a frown formed on his face. "Wh... who are you?" he asked weakly. 

"Oh my, he's awake!" Millenia thought. 

Melfice sat up on the bed. "Where am I?" 

Millenia was unable to answer. Her heart beat rapidly, her throat was dry, and her tongue could not move. She tried to speak as Melfice gave her a questioning look but no words escaped her lips. Millenia stuttered something and bolted out of the room. Thirty seconds later, Millenia came back with the whole gang. 

Ryudo gasped and his jaw dropped as he saw Melfice wide and awake. "Mel... Melfi... Melfice?" he stammered. The moment he had been waiting for had finally happened but the excitement caused him to freeze on his place. 

Melfice looked away as soon as he saw Ryudo. "So, he found me," he whispered to himself. 

Elena tapped Ryudo's shoulder. "What are you waiting for Ryudo?" 

"I... I'm nervous Elena," the Geohound answered. 

Elena gave Ryudo an encouraging smile. "Do not be Ryudo. Come on, talk to him. You have been waiting for this." 

"All right." Ryudo took a deep breath and walked over to Melfice. "Melfice?" 

Melfice looked at Ryudo with shame in his eyes. "Don't look at me Ryudo. I don't deserve to be near you or anyone else." 

"Melfice, what are you talking about?" 

"How can you look at me or even be near me? I betrayed you Ryudo, everyone else, and... and Reena... I killed her. And for what?!" 

Ryudo tried to reach out for Melfice's shoulder but he slapped his hand away. "Melfice, it's okay." 

"All has been in vain." Melfice looked down on his hands, they shook violently. 

Ryudo's voice rose a notch. "Melfice! Listen to me!" The Geohound gave his brother a sympathetic look. "Everything is okay. Times have changed." 

"What do you mean?" Melfice frowned. 

"A year has passed. Valmar had been defeated and the people of Garlan are finally at peace." Ryudo looked away for a second. "Except Gatta," he thought and turned back to his brother. 

Melfice arched an eyebrow. "A year had passed and Valmar had been defeated? How?" 

"It's a long story." Ryudo sat down on the chair next to the bed. He sighed and told his brother everything that happened in the past year from how he became Elena's bodyguard to all the way how they defeated the wannabe Valmar, Zera. 

"I see," was all Melfice could say. He was silent for awhile and then spoke, "What are you doing here now and how did you find me?" 

"That's a long story too. You see, I went to Cyrum to visit my friends two days ago. Everything was going so well until Gatta and the Cathedral Knights attacked the Kingdom. He escaped after a battle but we followed him and the chase eventually led us to a church with an underground factory. We found you in a tank at the factory. What were you doing in that tank anyway?" 

Melfice clenched his fists and looked at them with disgust. "After I kil... after I let myself get possessed by the Horns of Valmar, I heard a voice calling me. I followed the voice and it led me to St. Heim. A man named Zera appeared to me and told me about the battle between Granas and Valmar. Zera asked me to do a couple of jobs for him like burn down a village in an island that was close to Garlan. The old man was impressed with my skills and brought me to the factory one day. Somehow, he managed to trap me in that tank and that's all I can tell you." Melfice looked at Ryudo and smiled weakly. "You probably don't feel the same but it's good to see you Ryudo." 

Ryudo shook his head and put his hand on Melfice's shoulder. "No, I'm happy to see you too. Don't ever say that. What you did was wrong but I forgive you." The Geohound smiled and took his hand away. 

"Thank you brother," Melfice said and looked at Elena and the gang. "So, are those your friends? I'm afraid we haven't had a proper introduction yet." 

"Oh." Ryudo nudged his head towards Melfice to tell the others to come forward. Elena and the others walked over to the bed and gathered around it to introduce themselves. 

"I am Elena. I used to be a Granas Songstress." 

"The name's Millenia." 

Roan took a bow. "I am Roan, the Young King of Cyrum. I am pleased to meet you." 

"My name is Tio." 

"Lance." 

Melfice chuckled a bit. "I'm thrilled to meet all of you. I'm Melfice, Ryudo's older brother." There was a moment of silence and then the EX-Demon Man's stomach growled in hunger. He smiled embarrassingly. "I guess I'm a little hungry." 

"I'm hungry too. Come on, let's go downstairs to the dining room. It's 7:00 AM, they should have the breakfast ready by now," Ryudo said and looked at the others. "How about you guys, are you going to join us?" Everybody except Millenia nodded yes and stepped back to give Melfice some room. Melfice got off the bed and stretched. "Let's go." Ryudo walked out of the room with everyone trailing behind him. 

When the group got to the dining room, the food was ready as Ryudo mentioned. Everyone sat down around the table and began to eat. 

"This food is great," Melfice commented after he took a bite out of his toast. 

Ryudo added more butter on his bread. "I'm glad you like it." 

"Ryudo, may I ask you a question?" Tio asked. 

"Sure. What is it?" Ryudo replied. 

"When do we leave for Garlan to investigate about Gatta?" 

"Today, after we finish breakfast," the Geohound answered. 

Melfice cocked up an eyebrow. "You're going back there?" 

"Yeah, do you want to come with us?" Ryudo said. 

"I'll come with you," Melfice nodded and started to ask Ryudo questions about what Garlan might be like now. Elena watched the brothers talk in awe, she had never seen Ryudo so happy before and she was glad that he had relaxed. Millenia ate in silence and shot dirty looks at Ryudo every now and then. Roan and Tio talked about the attack at Cyrum like how long it will take to repair the damage Gatta caused. 

Lance was quiet the whole time as well. "Going to Garlan better be worth it," he told himself mentally. 

Ryudo finished eating and stood up from his chair. "After we're all done eating, we're going to start packing up. We're going to travel by air. They just built a Skyway Station here in St. Heim not too long ago and that's where we're going after we're done packing." 

Everyone soon finished their breakfast and began to pack up their belongings. When everyone was sure they had everything they needed for the trip, they left the inn and headed to the Skyway Station. When they reached the Skyway, Ryudo bought seven tickets and boarded the Skyway. 

*** 

Melfice stood alone on the deck while he watched the clouds and the landscape below pass by him. "Home... I wonder how everyone would react when they see me," he thought. 

"You know, you don't have to stand here all by yourself," Ryudo said as he appeared beside Melfice. 

"I know... Ryudo, do you really want to bring me along in this trip? What if I go mad again and do the things I did before? What would happen to you and your friends?" 

"Melfice, I don't think that would happen." 

"I may no longer be tainted by the Horns of Valmar but that doesn't guarantee anything. What if Zera did something to me while I was in that tank? I did kill Reena for power, you know." 

"I don't want to talk about this," Ryudo snapped and changed the subject. "Now that you're back, what do you plan on doing with your life?" 

"I'm not really sure... maybe continue where I left off." 

"You'd start practising your swords skills again?" 

"Maybe... heh, why not? Gatta and the Cathedral Knights might be good sparring partners. What about you, are you still going to be a Geohound?" 

"Yeah, but just until this whole thing with Gatta ends." 

"Sounds like you have plans." Melfice playfully punched Ryudo on the shoulder. "And I bet Elena is somehow involved." 

Ryudo looked surprised. "Wha... what? How did you know?" 

"The way you look at her. Did you make your move yet?" 

"Uh, no. Actually, I was going to at Cyrum but Gatta ruined everything." 

Melfice punched Ryudo on the shoulder again and spoke in a playful tone, "That's too bad. Want some advice Ryudo?" 

Ryudo punched Melfice back on the shoulder. "No, I don't need your advice," he smirked. 

Melfice arched an eyebrow. "Really?" 

*** 

Elena watched Ryudo and Melfice goof around from a distance. "Oh, Ryudo," she sighed heavily. She was happy that Ryudo was back together with his brother but she was a bit insecured at the same time. With Melfice back from the dead, would Ryudo spend more time with him or her? Whatever Ryudo did, she would be fine with it. 

"So, Ryudo was your bodyguard for awhile, eh?" Lance said as he appeared behind Elena. 

Elena gasped and turned around to face the Ninja. "Oh, it is you Lance!" 

"Sorry if I scared you." 

"It is okay. I am just not used to people sneaking up behind me. Uh... what were you saying before again?" 

"Ryudo was your bodyguard, right?" 

"How did you know that?" 

"I listened to every single detail Ryudo said when he was telling Melfice about your past... adventures." 

"Oh, right." 

"How did you do on your journey?" 

"I did okay, I think. However, there were times when I let everyone down." 

"How do you think you'll do on this trip?" 

"I hope I would be of great help and not be a burden to anyone." 

"We'll be all right, don't worry..." Lance said to himself and left Elena alone. 

*** 

Millenia stood by a window and watched the clouds pass by. Roan and Tio watched Millenia from a distance and thought what was wrong with her. The two noticed she had been a little distant lately and they had an idea why. The two decided to talk to the red head and approached her. 

Roan cleared his throat. "Uh, hi Miss Millenia." 

Millenia kept her eyes on the clouds. "What do you want?" 

"We just want to talk," Tio said. 

"We noticed that you have not been yourself lately. What is wrong Miss Millenia?" Roan asked. "Does it have anything to do with Ryudo?" 

Millenia turned around with a scowl on her face. "Why did that idiot leave me for Elena?!" 

Roan looked alarmed. "Miss Millenia, please calm down." 

"Ryudo loves Elena, anyone could see that. Millenia, instead of sulking here, why not do some thing about your problems?" Tio said. 

Millenia smiled wickedly. "You mean I should go up to Elena and tell her to leave Ryudo alone?" 

"No, no, that was not what she meant. What Tio is trying to say is that..." Roan trailed off. 

"What?!" 

Skye, who had been listening to the conversation, answered, "he means maybe Ryudo is not for you." 

Millenia glared at the talking eagle. "Are you out of your mind bird?!!" 

"He is right, there are plenty of men out there Miss Millenia and one of them has to be for you," Roan said. 

"And you will definitely find him one day," Tio added. 

Millenia looked at Roan and forked up an eyebrow. "You think so, kid?" 

Roan smiled. "I am absolutely positively sure about that." 

"Maybe you're right," Millenia sighed and gave Roan a noogie. 

"So does this mean you're not mad at Ryudo and Elena anymore?" Skye asked. 

"No, I'm still mad at them but just a little bit now," Millenia smirked. 

The group then heard a beeping sound and the flight attendant spoke from the speakers, "Attention passengers, we will reach Garlan in a few minutes. Please, go to your seats as we will dock soon." 

*** 

As the flight attendant said, the Skyway reached Garlan in a few minutes. After the Skyway docked at the Station, Ryudo and group got off the Skyway and left the Station. The group stood at the entrance of the Station and observed the town ahead of them. 

"Quiet... just like the last time we were here," Ryudo remarked. 

"Home," Melfice told himself. 

"What should we do now?" Roan asked. 

"Look around for Gatta, he might be here. If you can't find any signs of him, ask around," Ryudo answered. 

"We should split up," Melfice suggested. "We'll cover more ground." 

Ryudo nodded. "Roan, take Tio and check out the West Side. Me, Skye, and Elena are going to the inn and then look around the North Side." Ryudo turned to Melfice. "What about you, what are you going to do?" 

"I'll look around the East Side." Melfice answered and turned to Millenia. "Do you want to come with me?" 

Millenia looked around and noticed that the only person she could go with was Lance. She had no intentions of looking around with the Ninja. "Sure," she replied shortly. 

"I'll just stick around here," Lance said coldly. "If your friend managed to follow us, he's bound to show up here first." Without saying good bye to anyone, the Ninja ran towards an alley to begin his own search. 

"Come on guys, let's get going," Ryudo said to everyone. "We'll meet back at the inn within twenty minutes, okay?" 

The rest nodded in agreement and left. 

*** 

Lance stood on top of a building and watched Elena leave the Station with Ryudo. He glared ice cold daggers at the Geohound and kept his eyes trained on him until he was out of sight. He did not like Ryudo at all, especially when he was around Elena. "Hmph, he always tries to keep Elena with him. I have to find a way to get Elena away from him," he said to himself and began to look for any signs of Gatta. 

*** 

Millenia and Melfice walked down an empty, quiet street. "Are Gatta and the Cathedral Knights strong?" Melfice asked. 

Millenia scoffed. "Well, the Cathedral Knights are stronger than most of the enemies we've faced before. It takes awhile for us to beat them." 

"What about Gatta?" 

"We've never fought him. Besides, aren't you suppose to know how good Gatta is? You did train together, right?" 

Melfice smiled embarrassingly at Millenia's statement. "Well, as far as I could remember, Gatta was just as good as Ryudo but that was three years ago. Who knows what kind of warrior he is now." 

"Do you think we'll ever find out what he's up to?" 

Melfice smirked confidently. "I'll figure it out." 

"Yeah right," Millenia snorted and the two continued their search. 

*** 

Ryudo knocked on the inn's door. There was no answer, for the fifth time. "Damn, I think nobody's home." 

"Come to think of it, we haven't seen any of the villagers yet," Skye remarked. 

"Where do you think they are?" Elena asked. 

"They're here, but they're just hiding. I wonder why," Ryudo answered. 

Skye looked up in the sky. "It's getting dark Ryudo, with the inn unavailable, where do you suggest we stay?" 

"We can stay at my house," Ryudo replied. 

"At your house? That place has been abandoned for more than ten years. Are you sure you want Elena sleeping there?" Skye whispered to Ryudo's ear. 

Ryudo walked away from Elena so she would not hear him talk with Skye. "We don't have a choice. Besides, this is no time to get picky," Ryudo whispered back. 

"So, Ryudo where are we spending the night?" Elena asked again. 

"At my house." Skye took to the air from Ryudo's shoulder. "Skye, tell everyone to meet at my house because no one is in the inn, okay?" 

Skye nodded and flew away to get the others. 

Ryudo nudged his head forward. "Come on Elena, let's go. My house is not that far from here," Ryudo said and the two began to walk side by side. 

When the two got to Ryudo's house, he removed the barricades and opened the door. The door creaked loudly as if it was about to break. Ryudo entered the house. The place was dusty but most of the furniture and appliances were intact. 

Elena walked in the house and arched an eyebrow. "This place could use a little cleaning." 

Ryudo smiled and chuckled embarrassingly. "Yeah I know, sorry. But don't worry, I'll start cleaning up." The Geohound left and went to the closet room to get things like brooms, wiping cloths, and other things to help him make the house liveable for Elena. 


	8. Love Pursuits

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Eight : Love Pursuits 

Ryudo let out a relaxed sigh and slumped on the couch in the living room. He brought up his feet and let them rest on the coffee table in front of him. He then wiped away the beads of sweat from his forehead and eyebrows with his hand. "Finally, everything is clean." 

"Ryudo! Dinner is ready!" Elena called out from the kitchen. 

Ryudo smiled and chuckled silently. He liked what he heard and had a feeling he would hear it many times more. "Coming," he called back and stood up. He went to the kitchen and inhaled the smell of the food. Everything was ready, the table was set and the food was ready to eat. The only thing that was missing were the people. 

"Come on Ryudo, let us eat," Elena smiled and sat down. 

"You know, you didn't have to do this. You're my guest," Ryudo smiled back and walked over to Elena. 

Elena's body tensed with Ryudo standing right beside her. "Oh, it is nothing. I had to do something. I cannot just sit in a corner and let you do everything." 

Ryudo put his hand on his stomach as it growled. "Man, I'm hungry but we can't eat without the others. What's taking them so long?" Right after Ryudo's statement, they heard a knock on the door. "I'll go get it, it's probably them." Ryudo walked away to answer the door. When he opened the door, the whole gang entered. 

"Is that food I smell?" Melfice said. 

"Yeah, Elena cooked dinner for us," Ryudo answered. 

"Ryudo, not only is she good looking, but she can cook too?" Melfice whispered to Ryudo's ear with a sly tone. 

"Be quiet," Ryudo growled through gritted teeth and turned to Roan. "Did you find anything about Gatta?" 

Roan shook his head. "No, we did not see him. We could not ask around either since there were no people around." 

"It seems that the citizens of this town are all hiding in their homes," Tio said. 

"Really strange," Millenia added. 

"Ryudo! Is that Melfice and the others?" Elena called out from the kitchen. 

Ryudo scratched the back of his head and smiled embarrassingly. "Oh yeah! Dinner is ready. Come on, we'll figure that out later and let's start eating." 

Everyone nodded and went to the kitchen. Lance was the last one to enter the kitchen and took off his mask as he seated himself. The group complimented on Elena's cooking and asked questions about their next move as they ate. Other than that, they mostly ate in silence. 

After their meal, Melfice went outside and Lance as well. Elena went upstairs, to the balcony to watch the stars and the moon in the sky. Millenia, Roan, and Tio went out to the porch to sit around and talk. Ryudo stayed behind in the kitchen to clean up and wash the dishes. 

*** 

Melfice stood right in front of his grave, he was in the cemetery. "So this is where they buried me, right beside Reena. Who is me anyway? Who was running around while I was sleeping in that factory?" Melfice knelt down and pounded the ground with his fist. "How could I let myself get possessed by Valmar? How could I kill Reena? What have I done?!" Although he had not shown it to anyone, he hated himself for succumbing to Valmar. He wanted power to protect, power to do justice. Instead, he ended up having power to destroy, power to unmake the world. He would never forgive himself for making such a mistake. He would never forget the faces of the people he killed; Reena, some of the people of Garlan, the villagers of Mareg's hometown, and many more. Those faces would haunt him forever and there was nothing he could do about it. 

However, there was one thing he could do to make sure that would never happen again. He had decided to help Ryudo stop Gatta. He hoped that by helping Ryudo, his conscience would become clean again. He would fight Evil in any form it took to make the world a better place to live for everyone. Melfice stood up and picked up his sword from his grave. With his sword and the Star Egg Ryudo gave him, he was ready to do battle. 

*** 

Elena stood in the balcony and watched the stars and the moon in the sky. Watching the sky during the night was one of her favourite past times. It reminded her of the night when she and Ryudo watched the sky together on Ceceile Reef before they confronted Melfice. The night, the memory was special. It was the first time Ryudo actually opened up to her and said something nice about her too. Ryudo. How was she suppose to tell him her feelings now? Ryudo was in the middle of a family reunion and still had to find answers about Gatta's whereabouts. 

"I do not want to get in Ryudo's way. I guess things will have to wait until everything is over," Elena said to herself. She would fight with Ryudo for now and when everything was settled, she would make the Geohound hers. 

"Looking at the sky again?" a voice said from above. 

Elena gasped and her body tensed a bit. She turned around and looked up. She saw Lance perched on the roof. Obviously, she was not still used to the Ninja sneaking up behind her. "Good evening," she smiled. 

Lance jumped down from the roof and landed right in front of her. "Scared you again?" 

Elena nodded. "Y-yes," she said nervously. 

"Sorry, that's just the way I am." Lance leaned against the railing and crossed his arms over his chest. 

"It is fine. I am glad you made it this far with us. You have been really of great help. Thank you." 

"Heh, it's my pleasure." 

"If I remember right, you said you had 'a score to settle' with the Cathedral Knights. What did you exactly mean by that?" 

Lance looked at Elena and then looked away. He did not know if he should tell her his intentions. 

Elena looked a bit alarmed. "Did I say something wrong? I am sorry, please, forgive me." 

"Don't worry about it," Lance said in his usual cold, monotone voice and still kept his eyes away from Elena. "I come from the Iga Ninja Clan. My clan secretly supported the government of the city of Minalin. My clan did their dirty works behind the shadows. We're there whenever they needed someone exterminated whether it's a crime syndicate or a corrupt government official. We're there whenever they needed someone to investigate when the air was foul." 

Elena frowned. "You lived in the city of Minalin? I have never heard of such a place." 

Lance shook his head. "No. You see, Minalin was a city surrounded by mountains and forests. I lived in the secret fortress of the Iga Ninja Clan, which was hidden deep in the forests and mountains. Whenever Minalin needed us, we were there. It's how we made a living." 

"So, you were like a Geohound." 

"Not really. We just worked for the government and no one else. And whenever we did a job, we made sure we were completely unseen." Lance's tone of voice then changed. It got harsh, colder, and icier. "About a year ago, when Valmar was trying to revive, a woman named Selene and the Cathedral Knights came to Minalin. They claimed that the city harboured a piece of Valmar. No one admitted that they were possessed by Valmar so Selene decided to purify the whole city. With the mass slaughter, my clan was summoned to protect the city. However, my clan was no match for the Cathedral Knights. They were purified along with innocent people. Everyone got killed except me. I was away on a scouting mission at the time. When I finally got to Minalin, there was nothing there except ashes and Selene was long gone but I wouldn't let her get away with it. I tracked her down and after a year, I finally found her but just to learn that she's dead. But, the Cathedral Knights are still around and I won't stop fighting until every last one of them is dead!" 

Elena walked over to Lance and looked into his ruby red eyes. After speaking of pain and sorrow, she was surprised to see that his eyes were void of any emotions or feelings. His eyes were completely hollow. "The poor man, he rid himself of emotion because of his painful experiences," Elena thought. "I am very sorry to hear that." 

Lance did not say anything. "Who wouldn't cast away emotions if life and memories bring nothing but pain?" the Ninja asked himself mentally. He looked into her ruby red eyes and found joy, doubt, pain... emotions. Her eyes were full of emotions and life, something he would never possess. Lance closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "How am I suppose to tell her?" he thought. Lance turned around and jumped off the balcony to disappear into the dark night. 

Elena cupped her hands together on her chest. "I should help him." 

*** 

Millenia, Roan, and Tio sat around on the porch while they talked to each other. "What a nice evening," Roan said as a gentle breeze blew against them. 

"Yeah, thanks to us," Millenia scoffed. 

"Yes, all of our struggles against Zera were all worth it," Tio replied. 

Millenia sighed and curled herself into a tight ball. "Running around to find the Granasaber was fun. I wonder what lies ahead on this journey?" 

Roan smiled. "Well, whatever danger is in store for us, I am sure we will overcome it. We cannot let history repeat itself." 

"Yes, we cannot allow anymore suffering," Tio agreed. 

Millenia then stood up and stretched her arms. "I'm going to go for a walk. Do you two want to come?" 

"No thank you. We will just stay here," Roan answered. 

"I am tired, maybe some other time," Tio added. 

"Okay, see you later then," Millenia said and walked away. 

When Millenia was completely out of her view, Tio spoke, "Roan? What exactly is love? From what I have learned from Mareg, love is something that brings people together and happiness. But from what I have seen from Elena and Millenia, love is something painful and full of doubts. Is love always like that?" 

Roan blushed a bit from Tio's sudden question. For once, he was at a loss for words. He did not know exactly how to answer Tio's question. "I... I do not know Tio," Roan managed to say. 

"Oh," Tio said in a disappointed tone. 

*** 

Millenia walked down a street while several thoughts raced through her mind. She wondered if she would ever find the man of her dreams. She could try and steal Ryudo away from Elena but that would be futile. They were obviously in love with each other but were too shy and preoccupied to tell the other. She wondered if she would find a man like Ryudo. What if she did not? She would have to be lonely again. Millenia stopped walking and then groaned in disgust. 

"Ugh, what the Hell is happening to me? I used to be tough... didn't care about anyone... but now look at me... I'm mourning at a man that won't love me. I've been waiting for him for a long time but he never came. I've been wasting my time. Hearts... love... who needs it?" 

Millenia's thoughts were interrupted as she heard a faint explosion. Millenia ran towards the source of the explosion and led herself in an open field. From where she stood, she saw a man cast a Burn! to a nearby boulder. 

Millenia arched an eyebrow. "Who's that?" She crept towards the man until she could identify who he was. "It's just Melfice," she said to herself in a disappointed tone. "I wonder what he's doing?" Millenia ran towards a tree to hide herself as Melfice turned around towards her. Millenia leaned against the tree and peeked to see what Melfice was doing now. 

Melfice took off his cape and then shed all of his upper body armour, leaving him half naked in front of Millenia's ruby red eyes. Millenia could do nothing but stare at Melfice's muscular form and marvelled how his chest rippled and the rest of his muscles contract as he moved around. She was also mesmerized the way his long, blue hair flowed freely in the breeze. 

Melfice bent down to pick up his sword from the ground. Holding the sword with his right hand only, he began to slash and parry with an invisible opponent. For someone as tall as he, he was incredibly fast and graceful in his movements. 

After a couple of sword drills, Melfice sat down on the grass and wiped the sweat off of his muscular body. "You can come out," Melfice called out. There was no answer. "Come on Millenia, I know you're out there!" 

"How did he know I was watching him?" Millenia thought and stepped out of her hiding place. 

Melfice stood up and walked up to Millenia. "What are you doing here?" 

It took every ounce of Millenia's power to concentrate on what Melfice was saying instead of letting her eyes wander down to his beautiful body. "I... I was just walking around and s... saw y... you..." Millenia stuttered as her heart beat rapidly as if it threatened to explode. 

Melfice arched an eyebrow. From what Ryudo told him and from what he had seen, it was unusual for the red head to be stuttering and nervous. "Are you all right?" 

Millenia finally composed herself. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?!" she hissed. 

Melfice put his hands up in defense. "Whoa. I was just asking." 

Millenia eyed Melfice suspiciously. "What about you, what are you doing here?" 

"I'm practising my sword skills and my magic. You were watching me the whole time weren't you?" 

"Not really... say, do you want to spar with me? I've got my Chaos Egg and Black Angel Bow right here." 

Melfice shook his head. "No thanks, I don't fight women, even if it's just for practice. But I can walk you back to my house though, I'm done training." 

"Forget it, I'll walk by myself. Ha, you're no fun," Millenia scoffed and left. 

*** 

Ryudo combed his hair right in front of a mirror after taking a long, hot shower. He wore nothing but a white towel that was wrapped around his waist. Ryudo chuckled in satisfaction when his hair was finally perfect. Ryudo then turned towards the hook on the door where he hung his blue sweat pants but the door opened. 

Elena entered the bathroom dressed in a white robe with her hair untied. "Oh my!" she gasped as she saw a half naked Ryudo standing right in front of her. Elena's eyes travelled up and down Ryudo's muscular body, she could do nothing but stare. 

Ryudo could do nothing either but marvel how beautiful Elena looked without her Songstress clothes, he really hated that bonnet she wore, and with her hair untied. Ryudo took a step forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "Elena..." he whispered softly. 

Elena's body tensed and her heart raced. "Ye.. yes?" 

Ryudo's body felt hot like he was burning and sweat began to form on his forehead. "Elena... I... I lo... Are you sure about this?" 

Elena's body relaxed a bit. "What do you mean?" 

Ryudo took a step backwards. "Are you sure you want to come along with me on this journey? It's going to be rough... and I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to get you involved in this." 

Elena sighed heavily. "Ryudo, me and the others have been waiting for you for one year, one month, and three days. We have been waiting for you for so long and we cannot wait any longer. We are your friends, we already are involved in this." 

"I don't want you to get hurt. I won't be able to..." 

Elena threw herself at Ryudo and without stopping to think for a second, she kissed him fully on the lips. Ryudo returned her kiss tenfold and his hands travelled down to her waist to pull her closer. Elena moaned lightly as Ryudo deepened the kiss and slid his tongue into her mouth. Elena rubbed his muscular chest in a circular pattern with her hands. 

Ryudo broke their kiss to catch his breath and then began to plant kisses on Elena's neck. Elena could feel Ryudo's arousal through his towel with her thigh. She ran her fingers from down his chest to his abdominals. Her fingers kept going down and down and then jerked her hands away as she reached the towel. 

Ryudo stopped kissing her neck. "Elena?" 

Elena blushed a bit and took a step backwards. "I am sorry..." 

"Did I do something wrong?" 

"No, it was me. Ryudo, we cannot do this." 

Ryudo was about to protest and but then remembered that he had to take care of Gatta before he could be with Elena. "You're right..." he said reluctantly and looked down. "I'm sorry too... I let myself get carried away." With that, Ryudo took his sweat pants from the door and left the bathroom. 


	9. Other Voices

**JUST LOVE **

Chapter Nine : Other Voices 

Ryudo groaned groggily in his sleep as rays of sunlight touched his face. He groaned again and rolled around on the couch he slept on. After a few more moments, he finally woke up. He sat up from the couch, yawned, and stretched his arms out. He looked at the clock on the wall, it was 7:00 AM Ryudo got off the couch slowly and quietly so he would not wake up Roan and Melfice, who slept on the other couches in the living room. Ryudo went upstairs, to the bathroom to wash his face and gurgle water. 

When Ryudo was done with his morning bathroom ritual, he went downstairs to the kitchen. Ryudo found Elena cooking breakfast in the kitchen. "Good morning princess," Ryudo greeted. 

Elena turned around from the stove and smiled. "Good morning Ryudo," she replied cheerfully. 

"Ugh, you know, you don't really have to do this," Ryudo groaned and put his hand on his forehead. 

"Ryudo, I am just trying to help." 

"I know... thanks." Ryudo noticed that the table has not been set yet. "I'll set the table for you." Ryudo walked over to the cupboards and took out plates, glasses, spoons, and forks. He put them on the table and arranged them. "There, it's done," he proudly announced. 

"Ry... Ryudo?" Elena asked nervously. 

Ryudo turned around to face the EX-Songstress. "Yeah, what is it?" 

"About last night..." 

"Forget it." 

Elena's face crumpled. "Oh." 

"Wait... Elena, I..." 

"No, it is all right," Elena interrupted. "Thank you for setting up the table. Breakfast would be ready in a few minutes. You better wake up everyone, we have a long day ahead of us." 

"Okay," Ryudo nodded and left the kitchen. 

*** 

Lance walked down a street to go back to Ryudo's house. He ended up sleeping somewhere else for the night since there was not enough room at Ryudo's house. There were three bedrooms upstairs and the women took one each while the men decided to sleep on the couches in the living room. There were only three couches in the living room so Lance decided to spend the night in another place. 

The Ninja stopped walking as he sensed someone following him. "Someone else is out here," he whispered to himself. He turned around and narrowed his eyes. He paused for a few seconds and then threw a shuriken at a garbage can. The garbage can fell on the ground to reveal an old man, the village elder. "What do you think you're doing?" Lance glared. 

At the sight of Lance's glare, the village elder stood up and ran away. He tripped though due to nervousness. When the elder looked up, Lance stood right in front of him. Lance crossed his arms over his chest and gave the old man an icy, cold glare. "Why are you following me?" The old man kept his mouth shut. Lance snarled silently and bent down. He clamped onto the elder's throat with his right hand and raised him in the air. "Now tell me, why are you following me?" The elder still did not reply and the Ninja only tightened his grip. 

The elder began to gag and managed to speak, "let go... of... me first..." 

Lance scoffed and dropped the old man. 

"I was following you to see if you're one of them," the elder said. 

Lance cocked up an eyebrow. "Them?" 

"The Cathedral Knights." 

Lance chuckled a bit. "You're mistaken old man. I'm not with the Cathedral Knights. I'm here with Ryudo to find the Cathedral Knights." 

"Ryudo is here? Why would Ryudo travel with the likes of you?!" 

Lance chose to ignore the elder's last comment. "Yeah, he's here. He's staying at his house. It sounds like you know something we don't. You better come with me to his house and don't try to refuse because I'll drag you there if I have to." 

The elder gulped nervously and nodded. "I... I'll come with you." 

"Good." Lance turned around and started walking again with the elder trailing behind him nervously. 

*** 

When Lance and the elder got to Ryudo's house, they found everyone eating breakfast in the kitchen. Lance entered the living room first and pulled down his mask. "There's someone here you need to see," he said coldly. The Ninja narrowed his eyes at the trembling Elder and nudged his head towards the others to tell him to come forward. 

The Elder entered the kitchen. "Ryudo!" 

Ryudo stood up from his chair and walked over to his foster father. "What's happened here? Why is the town so... quiet and empty?" Ryudo asked right away. 

The Elder looked around the kitchen and saw Melfice. His face went pale, his heart stopped beating, and his body felt cold. Ryudo's question did not register in the old man's head. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Melfice. 

Ryudo tapped the Elder's shoulder. "Hello? Are you there?!" 

"Me... Mel... Melfice..." the Elder stammered. 

"Oh, right." Ryudo smiled embarrassingly and calmed down the old man. "It's okay Elder. You have nothing to worry about. That's the REAL Melfice." 

The old man frowned. "Real?" 

"It's a long story." Ryudo told the Elder about what happened the past few days; his journey to Cyrum, the attack on Cyrum, St. Heim and the underground factory, and how they got to Garlan. 

"So... you're saying the Melfice we buried a year ago was not the real one?" the Elder said and eyed Melfice suspiciously. 

Melfice stood up from his chair. "Elder, I'm sorry for everything, for shaming this town and for Reena. All those things I did were wrong and I don't expect you to forgive me. But, let me make it up to you." 

The Elder and the rest of Garlan have lived in shame and humiliation in the past because of Melfice's crimes. When Melfice betrayed them, they lost their best swordsman, they lost the person they mostly depended on, and they lost their sense of security. However, part of that was their fault. They blamed Melfice for all of their problems but what they did not realize was that there was still something they could do to make it all better again. The Elder already forgave Melfice for shaming the town, but for killing Reena, he did not know the answer. "I... I don't know..." he said sceptically. 

Millenia scoffed. "The man said he's sorry so why won't you just forgive him? You can't hate him forever! Besides, he was possessed by Valmar!" 

The Elder cringed a bit from Millenia's harsh tone of voice. 

"Look, there's something we need to know about Gatta and the Cathedral Knights. Do you know anything?" Ryudo asked again. 

The Elder looked at Ryudo and nodded. "I don't know about Gatta but a few months ago, the Cathedral Knights attacked this town. Gatta and our swordsmen tried to defend the town but were no match for them. No one got killed but they were badly beaten. The Cathedral Knights took away all of the defeated swordsmen and the rest that didn't fight. Most of the young men in town are swordsmen so the only people left in Garlan are old men, women, and children. Everyone is just afraid to come out, afraid that the Cathedral Knights will come and get them." 

Roan frowned. "But did the Cathedral Knights attack again after that?" 

"No," the Elder answered. 

"What about Gatta? Why would he be commanding the Cathedral Knights?" Elena asked. 

"Whoever created the Cathedral Knights must have some control over Gatta," Tio replied. 

"The Cathedral Knights are abducting people. This is something new. Ryudo, what should we do now?" Millenia asked. 

Ryudo was surprised that Millenia finally talked to him. "She's not mad anymore," he thought and answered, "I'm not sure. Melfice, what do you think?" 

"We should go back to St. Heim and check out that underground factory. I'd like to know more about those Cathedral Knights and maybe I'd find something about me," Melfice replied. 

"We should split up too. Some of us should go to St. Heim and some should stay here and keep watch," Ryudo suggested. 

"I'm definitely going to St. Heim," Melfice said. 

"I'm going too. There's probably more action there," Millenia scoffed. 

"I want to go too so when we are done investigating, I can check up on Cyrum," Roan said. 

"Same here," Tio added. 

"All right, that means me and Elena will stay behind here," Ryudo approved. 

"Ryudo, are you not forgetting someone?" Elena asked. 

Ryudo looked at Lance and his face crumpled. "Oh, I forgot you were standing there." 

Lance gave Ryudo a mocking look before he pulled up his mask to cover the bottom half of his face. "I'll stay here and keep you company." 

"It's settled then. Me, Millenia, Roan and Tio will go back to St. Heim and the rest of you will stay here." Melfice looked at Millenia, Roan, and Tio. "Start packing, we're taking the next flight to St. Heim." 

Millenia, Roan, and Tio nodded and left the room. 

"Don't get yourselves killed," Ryudo said. 

"We won't," Melfice replied and followed Millenia and the others. 

"What about me, what should I do?" the Elder asked. 

"Just stay here in Garlan and watch over the people," Ryudo answered. 

"Right," the Elder nodded and turned around to leave. "I should be going now. Good luck to all of you." 

"Thanks," Ryudo replied and watched the old man leave. 

Melfice and company then entered the kitchen with all of their supplies. "We're all packed up. We're going to be leaving now," Melfice announced. 

"Okay, good luck to you guys," Ryudo said. 

"Be careful," Elena said. 

Lance did not say anything. "..." 

"You take care too," Roan said. 

"We will see each other later," Tio added. 

"Try not to mess up," Millenia said half playfully. 

Melfice and company turned around and left the house. 

"What about us Ryudo? What are we suppose to do now?" Elena asked. 

"Hmm, the Cathedral Knights came to Garlan just to take all of the swordsmen away. What could they be up to?" Ryudo frowned. 

Lance crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door way. "That's what the others are going to find out. Our opponents are strong and there's plenty of them. We barely escaped last time." 

"Yeah, I know. There's two things we could do; learn how to beat our opponents or train to make ourselves stronger," Ryudo agreed. 

"We can always train ourselves but what about learning how to beat the Cathedral Knights? Where could we find that kind of information?" Elena asked. 

Before Ryudo could answer, a young boy, about twelve years old, stormed in the kitchen. He was full of sweat and he was panting real hard. "...Ryudo..." he managed to say between gasps. 

"Who are you?" Ryudo said. 

The young boy finally caught his breath. "I was sent here by the elder to ask for your help. There's a madman outside. You better hurry..." 

"We'll check it out." Ryudo turned to Elena. "Elena, you stay here." 

"But I want to help too," Elena protested. 

"You might get hurt out there. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine," Ryudo smiled assuredly and exited the kitchen with Lance. 

"Good luck," Elena whispered. 

As Ryudo and Lance stepped outside, they found bodies, dead bodies missing arms and legs. The bodies lay in puddles of blood and the smell of blood filled the area. The two looked to their left and saw a man thrust his five foot long katana into a woman's stomach. 

The man had long, black hair that was tied into a ponytail but a few strands fell on his face. He was a bit handsome and sported purple eyes. The man was a bit tall and his body was well toned with muscles. He wore a purple Ninja gi and at the back of his gi shirt, he had the crest of Valmar. 

The man withdrew his sword from the woman's stomach and laughed maniacally. "Die, pitiful human." He brought his katana's blade to his mouth and began to lick some of the blood off. After licking the blood off of his katana, he chuckled, looked up, and narrowed his eyes at Ryudo and Lance. "Hello there." 

Ryudo glared ice cold daggers at the mystery man. If looks could kill, the intruder would have been gasping for breath on the ground. "Why did you do this?!" 

"Nekura..." Lance thought and unsheathed the Falchion. 

Nekura ignored Ryudo's question and chuckled. "Tell me, is there darkness in your hearts?" 

"What are you talking about?!!" Ryudo growled and took out his Maken Valborg. 

Nekura looked friendly all of a sudden. "Ooh, there IS darkness in your heart." 

"Shut the Hell up! You'll pay for killing these people. Prepare yourself!" Ryudo said angrily. 

"Oh, come on now. It doesn't have to be like this," Nekura smiled. 

"Arr..." Ryudo snarled and hurled a Burn! spell at Nekura. 

Nekura slapped the ball of fire away with his hand before it hit him. The Burn! spell hit a house instead and set it on fire. Nekura's friendly face vanished and returned Ryudo's deadly glare. "If that's what you want, then so be it. Die!" he growled under his breath and unsheathed his katana, Zankuro. 

Ryudo ran towards Nekura with his sword held up high, ready to strike down the enemy. Ryudo brought his sword down but Nekura blocked it with his katana. Ryudo gritted his teeth and forced all of his strength into his sword, trying to break the enemy's defence and cut him down. 

Nekura grunted and managed to push Ryudo away. He then side stepped just in time to avoid Lance's Falchion, who had sneaked behind him while he was busy. Nekura countered by kicking the Ninja on the stomach. Lance gasped a bit in pain and fell on the ground as he was tripped with another kick. Nekura brought his sword down to pierce Lance's heart but he managed to roll away. 

Before Nekura could attack the Ninja again, Skye came out of no where and attacked the enemy with his sharp talons. Skye screeched and cut Nekura's right cheek. The enemy backed away and put his hand on his cheek. He then looked at his hand, it was covered with blood, and let out a gasp. Nekura's hand and body shook violently from trying to control his anger and fury as his purple eyes burned like fire. "My face! My beautiful face! You filthy, disgusting bird!!! How dare you touch my face!!!" Nekura roared and blasted Skye away with a Gad Zap. 

The attack sent Skye flying to a wall and let out a cry on the impact. Skye fell on the ground with his body sizzling and smoking. 

"Skye! SKYE!!!" Ryudo yelled frantically and ran towards the fallen bird. He knelt beside the talking eagle and picked him up. "Skye, can you hear me?" 

Dark clouds began to cover the sun and thunder and lightning filled the sky. Cold winds began to blow. The sky let out a mighty roar and it began to rain violently. Ryudo felt Skye's body shiver from the sudden cold weather and cradled him in his arms. Skye moaned and slowly opened his eyes. "I'll be okay Ryudo..." he managed to say and lost consciousness. 

"Crazy to the end," Ryudo whispered and put Skye down. Ryudo turned to look at Nekura and scowled at him. "Sworn enemy, you shall be defeated! Take that!" Ryudo threw the Maken Valborg in the air and then went after it. When he caught his sword in mid air, he plunged it to the ground. "Sky Dragon Slash!" A huge, crest of red swords formed on the ground and the crest began to release destructive energy. 

"Shit!" Nekura cursed loudly as he fell on the ground. 

Ryudo picked up his sword from the ground. "Did you like that?!" he taunted between pants. 

"Idiot!" Nekura hissed as he stood up. Before he could move, Lance, who was behind him, kicked the back of his head. Nekura gasped in pain, flinched, and blood flew out of his mouth. Lance grabbed his left arm with both hands and threw him towards a trash can. 

Lance dashed forward with his katana held forward by both hands. Nekura snarled to himself and got up from the ground. "Enough games!" He put his right hand forward and casted a Gad Zap on the Ninja. 

The Ninja stopped on his tracks as the attack racked his body with pain. He fell on the ground on his knees and began to summon his magic for an Alhealer. 

"Oh no, you don't!" Nekura casted a Zap! spell on Lance before he could heal himself. The blow from the attack sent the Ninja flying towards where Skye was and landed beside him. 

"Damn, I'm disgraced..." Lance gasped in pain and the world faded away. 

"Damn you!" Ryudo growled and casted a Crackling spell at his opponent. 

Nekura raised his hand in the air and hurled a Gad Zap spell at the huge, ball of spikey ice. The Gad Zap caused the Crackling spell to shatter into tiny little pieces of ice. Nekura then narrowed his eyes at Ryudo. His purple eyes burned like fire again and put his right hand forward. He chuckled and casted a Dragon Zap at the Geohound. The spell was executed so quickly that the Geohound did not see it coming. 

"Dammit! Is this the end?" Ryudo asked himself as the Dragon Zap hit him. The attack threw Ryudo into the air and landed right where Skye and Lance were and stayed there. 

Nekura laughed maliciously and walked towards the three. He raised his katana in the air to finish Ryudo and his company off. "I wonder how their blood tastes like?" he asked himself in delight. 

"Hey! Stop that!" a voice cried from behind. 

"Huh?" Nekura turned around just in time to see Elena cast a Crackle spell on him. The attack knocked him down and Elena used this chance to run towards Ryudo. 

Elena knelt beside Ryudo and cradled his head on her lap. She ran her fingers across his right cheek and brushed his bangs away from his eyes. "Ryudo? Ryudo, please wake up!" 

Nekura cackled and stood up. "Idiot woman! Now, you will share his fate!" Nekura looked into Elena's scared, ruby red eyes. "Don't be scared. Rejoice for the two of you will be together and forever in Hell!" 

Elena shut her eyes and hugged Ryudo to her body fiercely. "Ryudo..." she sobbed silently. 

Nekura put his hand forward for a BA-BOOM! and smiled wickedly. "DIE!" 


	10. Blue Water, Blue Sky

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
Melfice and company sat around a table in the Skyway's lounge. A few hours have passed by  
since they left Garlan and it would be another five hours or so before they would reach St. Heim  
so the group were having a snack. Roan took a bite from his chocolate muffin. "These Skyways  
are great. People these days can pretty much go anywhere because of them."  
  
Millenia scoffed. "Yeah, but they take forever. A flying ship like the Granasaber would be so  
much better."  
  
"Engineers in Liligue are already designing airships for public transportation. They already made  
cargo ships," Tio said.  
  
Melfice was silent the whole time, he was lost. Millenia, Roan, and Tio were talking about things  
that were made or happened while he was "sleeping." He did not know what a Skyway was until  
he rode one from St. Heim to Garlan. He missed out on so many things while he was gone.  
Another reason why Melfice wanted to go to St. Heim was to explore the new things in the  
world.  
  
Melfice's thoughts were then interrupted when he heard Millenia laugh from one of Roan's  
comments. He turned to the red head and looked at her closely. To him, Millenia was beautiful.  
Her long, red hair looked soft and was fragrant. He also liked the way her ruby red eyes flash  
whenever she was angry. Millenia also had a fabulous figure. Melfice was surprised when Ryudo  
told him Millenia is one of the "big guns" of the group because she did not look like it due to her  
beautiful, fragile looking appearance. He was glad that Millenia decided to go with him because  
he could definitely use someone like her but he hoped at the same time that Millenia's temper  
would not get the best out of her should she get pissed off in battle.  
  
Melfice then looked at Roan. From what Ryudo told him and what he has seen, Roan is the  
optimist of the group. He is also intelligent, good with politics, and has great people skills.  
Although Roan's fighting skills were average, Melfice considered the young king an asset to his  
team.  
  
Melfice turned to Tio as he heard the Automata speak. Tio is an android, part human and part  
machine, something that is new to him. Melfice talked to Tio only a couple of times but she  
seemed like a good person to him. Tio is kind, gentle, honest, and reliable. According to Ryudo,  
Tio is efficient in battle, she is a stronger fighter than Elena and Roan. Being an android, Tio also  
works well with machines and knows a lot about the history of Granas and Valmar. Melfice  
smiled mentally. The trip to St. Heim would be just a breeze with his sword skills, magic, and the  
people he is with.  
  
Millenia tapped Melfice's shoulder. "Hello?! Is anyone there?!!!" she said in an annoyed tone.  
  
Melfice was jerked back to reality. "What is it?"  
  
Millenia had a scowl on her face. One of the things Millenia despised was being ignored. She has  
been trying to talk to Melfice but he did not respond until she tapped his shoulder. The EX  
Demon Man looked like he was on a trance. "I've been asking you if you're okay, you barely  
touched your food. Are you sick or something?"  
  
Melfice smiled embarrassingly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you. I was just thinking about  
something."  
  
"Thinking about what?" Tio asked.  
  
"The mission ahead. I've got a feeling it'd be a breeze," Melfice answered.  
  
"Let us hope so," Roan nodded.  
  
"Aren't we a little confident?" Millenia snorted silently.  
  
Melfice heard Millenia's comment. "You don't believe me? Don't worry, nothing in this trip can  
go wrong."  
  
Millenia was about to say something to antagonize Melfice further but was cut off with a "ding"  
from the speakers on the wall. "Attention all passengers..." the flight attendant began. "Our last  
stop will be Mirumu, not St. Heim due to attacks. A few hours ago, we received a report saying  
that St. Heim was attacked by the Cathedral Knights and has fallen under their control. To  
protect our passengers, our last stop will be Mirumu. We apologize for any inconveniences.  
Have a good day."  
  
Millenia arched an eyebrow and looked at Melfice. "You were saying?"  
  
Melfice ignored Millenia's comment and remained silent.  
  
"What are we suppose to do now?" Tio asked.  
  
"Right now, I don't know but I'll come up with something," Melfice replied. The EX Demon Man  
stood up from his chair and excused himself.  
  
***  
  
Melfice stood alone in the deck while he watched the clouds and the landscape below pass by.  
Unlike the others, he was not worried that they might have problems with the Cathedral Knights  
taking control of St. Heim. He was confident he would work out something. However, he was  
worried about the citizens of St. Heim and Ryudo. He wondered how his younger brother is  
doing now.  
  
Millenia stood by a door way and watched Melfice. She just stood there, admiring the way his  
cape and his long, blue hair flow freely in the breeze. She left Roan and Tio to stand in the deck  
alone to think. She is not mad at Ryudo anymore but him picking Elena over her and the thought  
of being lonely still hurt. Millenia laughed silently in disgust on the account of what she has  
become.  
  
Millenia growled to herself mentally and scolded herself for becoming soft. Millenia pushed all of  
her pain away and then smirked. "From now on, I'll be just like my old self. Forget love, I'll just  
concentrate on what I'm suppose to do," she told herself and walked over to Melfice. "Hey,"  
Millenia greeted as she stood beside him and then watched the scenery below them with him.  
  
"Hi," Melfice replied, his eyes still trained on the passing landscape below.  
  
"What are you doing?" Millenia asked.  
  
"Thinking..." Melfice answered and paused for a moment.  
  
Millenia looked impatient. "Thinking?! About what?!"  
  
Melfice chuckled a bit. "Lot's of things."  
  
The red head arched an eyebrow. "Like what?"  
  
"Our mission and the others."  
  
"Worried that something would go wrong again?" Millenia said teasingly.  
  
"No, not at all. I'm just wondering about how Ryudo and the others are doing and the citizens of  
St. Heim. I just hope they're not held captive by the Cathedral Knights."  
  
"Why do you think they took over the city anyway?" Millenia asked.  
  
"They'd probably use the city and the people as shields if anyone tried to stop them from whatever  
they're trying to accomplish. They probably have other reasons too."  
  
"What?! Are you saying it's our fault they took over the city?!"  
  
"That's right. I didn't know they'd go that far... I have to come up with something to save those  
people. If anything happens to them... it'll be all my fault and my soul will never rest in peace. I  
must destroy Evil no matter what for what it did to me."  
  
Millenia felt left out all of a sudden and looked irritated. "I?! What do you mean by "I"?! Hello,  
we're a WE here. WE are a team and WE will come up with something when WE get to Mirumu,  
not just you, but all of us. Don't hog all the fun to yourself."  
  
"Fun? You think fighting Cathedral Knights is fun?"  
  
"Yeah, they're stupid and you get to roast them with fire magic, it's lots of fun."  
  
"What if they try to harm innocent people like I said?"  
  
"Hmph, who cares? As long as we defeat the enemy, nothing matters."  
  
"What about you and your friends?"  
  
"We can handle ourselves."  
  
Melfice was stunned from Millenia's carefree attitude and her enthusiasm to fight. Why could he  
not just relax and "have fun" for the mean time? Was he so caught up with revenge that he forgot  
what relaxing even meant? He could relax but his thirst for vengeance and the faces of the people  
he killed would not let him have none of that. His revenge for Evil and to make sure it never  
possesses him again is far more important than anything else right now.  
  
Melfice looked at Millenia, she still stood right beside him while she watched the now blue sea  
below them. His emerald green eyes burned into her ruby red eyes. By looking at her eyes, he  
sensed pain, loneliness, and turmoil. He wanted to ask her what was wrong but he decided  
against it as he already has too many things that weigh his heart down so he just stood there as  
well in silence.  
  
***  
  
The group arrived safely in the town of Mirumu. As usual, the town was quiet and there were  
very few people around. Most of the people in the town were in their homes for it was cold or  
maybe they feared that the Cathedral Knights would come to Mirumu too.  
  
Melfice and company walked down a street to look for a place to spend the night. The  
townspeople in the streets stopped whatever they were doing and immediately left as soon as they  
set their eyes on Melfice. Melfice sensed fear from the people around him and he knew why.  
  
A strong, cold breeze blew against the group that sent chills through their bodies. Millenia  
hugged herself and her body began to shiver. "How far is it to the inn?!" she asked in an irritated  
tone.  
  
Melfice stopped walking for a second and took off his cape. He walked over to Millenia and  
offered his cape to her. "Here, put this on," he said as he handed the cape to Millenia.  
  
"Th... thanks," Millenia replied awkwardly as she took the cape and wrapped it around herself.  
  
Melfice nodded. "No problem."  
  
"What about you? Would you not get cold too?" Roan asked Melfice.  
  
"I'm okay, I'm still nice and warm in my armour," Melfice answered. "How about you two?"  
  
"I am nice and warm in my royal suit as well," Roan said.  
  
"My thermal system is fully functional so do not worry about me," Tio replied.  
  
"Good, let's get going," Melfice said and started walking again with the others right behind him.  
  
After around fifteen minutes of searching, the group finally found a decent, nice inn. The group  
crossed the street and ran towards the inn. Millenia, Roan, Tio, and Melfice let out a relaxed sigh  
as the warmth of the inn embraced their cold bodies when they entered.  
  
Millenia, still wrapped around in Melfice's cape, walked towards the clerk. "Hey, got any  
vacancy? We need two rooms, one for me and for my friend and another one for those two  
guys."  
  
The clerk completely ignored Millenia as his attention was focused on Melfice. He has heard and  
seen him on TV and the newspapers a couple of times. He remembered him being labelled as a  
"Demon Man, bringer of ruination." But, Melfice was suppose to be dead. Was the person  
standing at the lobby an impostor or Melfice back from the grave? The clerk was not taking any  
chances though, he would give whatever Melfice would want from him and maybe the Demon  
Man would not lay a finger on him. Despite the warmth of the inn, the clerk's body went cold and  
shivered as Melfice approached him with Roan and Tio trailing behind him.  
  
"Two rooms please," Melfice said.  
  
"Uh..." The clerk tried to speak but his tongue just would not move.  
  
"Hello?! Anyone there?!!!" Millenia snapped and waved her hand on the clerk's face.  
  
The clerk's body tensed and came back to reality. "H... hi there! How may I... he... help you?"  
He tried to put up a fake smile but failed miserably.  
  
"We'd like two rooms please," Melfice repeated.  
  
Quickly, the clerk reached for the drawer underneath the till on the counter and took out two  
keys. He handed them over to Melfice with a nervous smile. "Here," he squeaked.  
  
"How much do I owe you?" Melfice asked as he gave one key to Millenia.  
  
"It... it's, uh, it's free since you're the 50th customer this week. Congratulations and enjoy!" the  
clerk answered.  
  
Millenia frowned at the clerk. "He's weird... stupid freak," she thought and turned around to  
leave with the others.  
  
Roan and Melfice went to their room and so did Millenia and Tio. Roan sat down on the edge of  
his bed as soon as he entered their room. Melfice walked to the other end of the room. There  
was a glass, sliding door that led to the balcony. He just stood there, put one hand on the glass  
door, and stared at the dark night.  
  
Roan let Melfice have a few moments of silence and then spoke. "So, what is our next move?  
How do we get to St. Heim?"  
  
Melfice turned around to face the Young King. "I don't know yet but I'll come up with  
something."  
  
"Is there anything I could do to help? Please, let me know if you need help on something."  
  
"Yeah sure, I'll let you know."  
  
Roan got off the bed. "I am going to get some food outside. Is there anything do you want me to  
get you?"  
  
"Just get me whatever you get. Thanks."  
  
Roan walked towards the door. "I will be back." Roan left the room and then closed the door  
from the hallway.  
  
Melfice turned around and opened the glass, sliding door. He entered the balcony and was  
surprised that it was not as cold as when they just got to Mirumu. Sighing in relief, he stood by  
the railing and let the gentle breeze caress his face. Like what he said, he was trying to come up  
with some plan on how to get to St. Heim. Getting to St. Heim is easy but not getting killed in  
the process was more challenging. Melfice thought long and hard but could not come up with a  
plan. There were too many things in his head; vengeance, the mission ahead, and the people that  
recognized him as the "Demon Man." The people he met on the way avoided him at all costs and  
were afraid of him like the clerk downstairs. They still feared him for the crimes he committed in  
the past. It hurt to be shunned and rejected. Growling in frustration, he slammed both of his fists  
on the railing.  
  
"Something wrong?" a voice from behind asked.  
  
Melfice turned around and saw Millenia with his cape on her hands. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to return your cape and since Roan left with Tio, I also came here to talk to you. Do you  
expect me to sit in my room alone and wait for those two to come back?" she asked teasingly.  
  
Melfice laughed a bit. "No, of course not."  
  
Millenia handed Melfice's cape over to him. "Here. Thanks."  
  
Melfice put his cape back on. "No problem."  
  
Millenia stood right beside Melfice. "So, what was all that growling about?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
She gave him a mocking look. "Come on, tell me. If you don't, I'll tell Roan not to give you any  
food and you have to starve for the rest of the night."  
  
Melfice cleared his throat but kept his eyes away from her. "There's just too many things in my  
head that I can't focus on the job at hand."  
  
"You know what, you're just like Elena. You try and work so hard that you forget to have fun.  
Relax a bit Melfice, give that brain of yours a rest. Don't be hard on yourself."  
  
Melfice arched an eyebrow. "Really? You know, you could use some relaxing too. You look  
really stressed out."  
  
Millenia looked a bit embarrassed. "I've been trying to but my head just won't let go," she said in  
a low voice but Melfice heard.  
  
Melfice looked into her ruby red eyes and saw pain, loneliness, and turmoil again. "Thinking  
about Ryudo again?"  
  
Millenia nodded. "Yes."  
  
"I know how you feel when I lost Reena."  
  
"Does it still hurt?"  
  
"It does, real bad."  
  
"Will it get better?"  
  
"It has to, for the both of us."  
  
For a few minutes, Millenia and Melfice remained silent while enjoying the view and the midnight  
breeze, letting some of the stress and tension drain out of their bodies and minds. After a few  
more minutes, Millenia broke the silence by gasping softly as something wet fell on her nose. She  
looked up in the sky and saw snow falling from the sky.  
  
Snow flakes landed on her hair, her cheeks, her nose, and her lips. The snow sent chills through  
her body but somehow it felt good. Millenia chuckled a bit and held out both of her palms to  
collect snow. "It's beautiful isn't it?"  
  
Melfice looked at Millenia and then the snow falling from the sky. "Yeah, beautiful."  
  
For the moment, the two forgot all about their pain, stress, and turmoil and silently enjoyed each  
other's company while watching the heavens shower the Earth with white, soft, beautiful snow. 


	11. Dark Voyage

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
Melfice woke up from his sleep as a crow landed on the balcony and cawed really loud. Melfice  
growled in annoyance and rolled around on his bed in an effort to go back to sleep. He even  
covered his head with his pillow to muffle the crow's cries but failed miserably. The crow cawed  
louder and louder and it drove him nuts. With a snarl, he quickly sat up from the bed and threw  
his pillow at the glass, sliding door that lead to the balcony. The crow cried once more and flew  
away as the pillow hit the door.  
  
"Finally..." Melfice sighed with relief and sank back to his bed. Melfice stared at the ceiling,  
wondering how he is going to spend the day.  
  
Melfice's thoughts were interrupted as he heard a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in," he said groggily.  
  
Millenia entered the room. She stood beside Melfice and put her hands on her hips. "What's  
taking you so long?!" she asked, a bit irritated. "We'll never get to St. Heim if you..." she stopped  
talking as Melfice stood up from the covers. He only wore a pair of white sweat pants, leaving  
his upper body naked to her eyes. Millenia's body started to feel hot and uneasy being alone in a  
room with a handsome, half naked man. It took every ounce of her strength not throw herself at  
him. Instead, she watched him move around the room.  
  
Melfice walked over to his dresser and took out a comb and a black ribbon. He combed his long,  
blue hair and then tied it into a ponytail with two long, bangs hanging over his face. Melfice  
turned to Millenia and gave her a quizzical look. "If I what?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.  
  
Despite her uneasiness, Millenia managed to keep her cool. "If you sleep all day! We're here to  
fight, not sit around and do nothing you know!"  
  
Melfice ignored Millenia's comment and sighed. "Are you going to stand there all day? You  
know, I'd really like to change clothes. I don't mind if you stand there and watch while I change  
but watching might make you uncomfortable."  
  
Millenia was speechless and glared daggers at Melfice.  
  
Melfice forked up an eyebrow. "Well?"  
  
Millenia growled in frustration and stormed out of the room.  
  
Melfice smiled in triumph and went to the bathroom to clean himself and change.  
  
***  
  
Millenia stormed in her room and then slammed the door shut. She lay on her bed, frustrated  
about what just happened. Ever since that night on Garlan, Millenia started to feel hot and uneasy  
whenever she is around Melfice. Also, there are times where she can not help but stare and  
admire his many fine qualities whenever Melfice's attention was somewhere else. Millenia sat up  
from the bed and cursed herself.  
  
She was attracted to him. She loved his emerald green eyes, his handsome face, his voice, and his  
muscular body. She also liked the way his bangs and his long ponytail swayed back and forth in the  
breeze like grass in the meadow. She also found it hard to resist the urge to throw herself at him  
whenever he is half naked around her.  
  
Yes, she was attracted to him. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she thought. Millenia  
scoffed at that question. It did not really matter. She is a woman, is she not? And Melfice is a  
very handsome man. Besides, she only liked his looks and nothing more, it was natural.  
Personality wise, Melfice is a gentleman, elegant, smart, witty, very focused on his  
responsibilities, and a bit confident on his skills. "I would never fall for him or anyone else. I've  
had enough. Love is a cruel thing and I would never let it hurt me again," Millenia told herself.  
  
Roan and Tio then entered the room while talking to each other. Both of them carried grocery  
bags with each hand. Roan was the first one to notice Millenia. "Hi Miss Millenia," he greeted.  
  
"Hey Roan," Millenia replied glumly.  
  
"What is the matter?" Tio asked.  
  
Millenia's voice was back to normal. "Oh, nothing. Say, did you two get all the supplies we  
need?"  
  
The young king nodded and put the bags down on the floor. "Yes. We got food, medicine,  
matches, all of the necessities."  
  
"Is Melfice awake yet?" Tio asked.  
  
"Well, if it wasn't for me, he won't be," the red head answered harshly.  
  
Roan looked alarmed. "Did you two have an argument or something?"  
  
Before Millenia could answer, Melfice entered the room in his white, shining armour and red  
cape. "Is everyone ready?"  
  
"Yeah, we were just waiting for you," Millenia spat.  
  
"Oh, I am so sorry for my tardiness," Melfice apologized with a small trace of sarcasm. He then  
turned to Roan. "Did you get the supplies?"  
  
"Yes," Roan answered.  
  
"Let's get going then," Melfice suggested.  
  
The group packed their supplies and their belongings and then left the inn. It was warm outside  
and the sun shone happily which caused some of the snow from last night to melt. They walked  
down a street that was full with people. It was around noon, lunch rush. People left their places  
of work to get some food or take breaks. Some people ate their lunches while they walked  
around and there were others that sat on the benches on the sidewalks while they read the  
newspaper and ate their food.  
  
Melfice looked around, he noticed that the people who were aware of his presence gave him  
frightful looks. Melfice shook his head and sighed as his heart suddenly felt like it weighed a ton.  
  
"It is a good thing we got our supplies earlier," Roan remarked as they continued to walk.  
  
"Yes, I would hate to fight my way through this crowd," Tio agreed.  
  
Millenia was silent. She noticed that the men on the streets could not keep their eyes away from  
her. She even heard one of them whistle at her. "Slobbering idiots," she growled to herself.  
When she started living in Liligue, the men in the city were the same. She liked the attention at  
first but then things got out of hand. Most of her admirers became obsessed with her. Some of  
them started to stalk her and some even forced her to have some bedroom fun. With the  
combination of Millenia's powers and temper, all of them ended up with a broken arm, a burnt leg,  
or an arrow on their butt.  
  
Millenia heard another whistle and snarled. How she wished that she could hurl a Burn! spell to  
those fools, that would teach them a lesson but that would attract unwanted attention. Millenia  
wanted to get out of the place and wanted to leave now. She turned to Melfice to ask him if they  
could take a cab out of the town.  
  
Melfice had a sad look on his face as Millenia looked up to him. Millenia wondered what made  
the blue haired man upset. She then looked around and found her answers. The people that  
know Melfice are still afraid of him. "They probably think he's out to commit more crimes," she  
thought. Somehow, she felt sorry for Melfice. People fear, reject, and shun him for the things he  
did in the past. She definitely knew how that felt. People gave her the same treatment the first  
time she appeared at Carbo. Millenia reached for his arm to get his attention but a man from  
behind pushed her out of the way and ran ahead of them.  
  
Millenia fell on the ground and snarled. "Hey! What the hell was that for?!!"  
  
Melfice bent down and offered his hand to the red head. "Are you all right?"  
  
Millenia did not answer and stood up on her own.  
  
"What a rude man," Tio commented.  
  
"Some people these days," Roan added while shaking his head in disgust.  
  
The group then heard a woman screaming from behind. "HELP! Help! That man stole my  
purse!"  
  
Millenia arched an eyebrow. "A thief, huh?" She took out her Black Angel Bow and went after  
the thief. "Hey! Get back here!!!"  
  
"Millenia, wait!" Melfice cried as she left.  
  
Millenia ignored Melfice and went after the thief. The thief laughed and crossed the street. The  
red head crossed the street as well and almost got hit by a car in the process. Millenia then  
growled in annoyance as she could not move around on the sidewalk, it was very crowded and the  
thief was getting away. Snarling, she pushed an old man away that was about to walk into her  
and bent down to her waist. With a grunt, she sprouted black wings on her back. Millenia  
flapped her wings and took to the air.  
  
The thief laughed as he noticed that Millenia was not following him anymore. "I lost her," he  
thought. He then stopped running to catch his breath and looked what was in the purse. "Wh...  
what?!!" he sputtered as he found out that the purse was empty.  
  
"Disappointed in your catch?" Millenia asked mockingly as she landed behind him.  
  
The thief turned around and his eyes widened as he saw Millenia's black wings. "You... you're a  
demon!"  
  
"Not exactly." The red head walked slowly to the thief and stopped half way through as he pulled  
out a knife. With a scoff, she took out her Black Angel Bow, not caring if she was attracting  
attention. "Stealing is a bad thing but pushing me to the dirty ground was worse!" She fired an  
arrow at him and hit his leg.  
  
"AAAAHHHH!!! Damn bitch!" he cried in agony as he fell on the ground.  
  
Smiling, Millenia walked over to the thief and kicked the knife on his hand away. Millenia looked  
around the crowd that gathered around her and noticed that the lady, the thief's victim, was  
standing among them. She snatched the purse from him and walked towards the lady. She  
extended her hand with the purse to her. "Here's your purse."  
  
The lady backed away a bit. "Get away from me... you... you Valmar incarnate!"  
  
Millenia dropped the purse on the ground and stepped backwards, a bit shocked. "Hey! I just got  
you your purse back!"  
  
Roan, Tio, and Melfice then arrived. "Let's get out of here," he whispered to Millenia's ear.  
  
"Look, the Demon Man is here too!" a man from the crowd cried.  
  
"Valmar has returned in the form of that man and that woman!" one of the townspeople panicked.  
  
Millenia shook her head rebelliously. "No way, I'm going to teach these ingrates some manners!"  
  
"Millenia, these people are afraid of us. Let's not make it any worse," Melfice insisted through  
gritted teeth.  
  
The red head looked around her and saw many frightened faces. Why were these people afraid of  
her? She only stopped the thief from getting away and nothing more. She tried to find an answer  
but her emotions got in the way. Millenia felt like someone shot arrows at her heart, it hurt to be  
rejected and shunned. Putting her crossbow away, she turned around. "All right, let's get out of  
here." Millenia ran away from the crowd with the others right behind her.  
  
***  
  
The group left the town of Mirumu and were now about to enter the St. Heim Mountain paths.  
Holding a map with both hands, Melfice pointed a path to his left. "That way." The group  
walked down the snowy path in silence. Millenia was angry and hurt at the same time by the past  
events. Roan and Tio wanted to say something comforting to Millenia but could not think of  
anything to say. Melfice did not try to say anything for he had his own problems.  
  
After twenty minutes of walking around in silence, Roan decided he had enough of it. "Are you  
all right Miss Millenia?" he finally asked.  
  
Millenia sighed heavily and answered. "No, of course not! I get that lady's stolen purse back and  
she... she calls me a Valmar incarnate!! Those ingrates make me soooo MAD!!"  
  
Before any of the three could reply, a big, white gorilla like monster appeared out of the bushes  
and snarled at Millenia and company.  
  
"Oh get the hell out of here!" Millenia snarled and hurled a Burn! spell at it.  
  
The Snow Man was knocked over from the fire attack. He slowly got up from the ground and  
began to jump up and down while growling. Three more Snow Men appeared from the bushes.  
Their mouths were wide open, giving the intruders a good look of their fangs.  
  
"Bring it on," Millenia growled under her breath and took out her Black Angel Bow.  
  
"Spread out!" Melfice ordered as he unsheathed his sword, the Cardinal Blade. Each one of them  
then ran in four different directions so they were not clumped and could move more freely.  
  
One of the Snow Men ran towards Roan and swung its powerful arm forward. Roan was hit right  
on the face and fell on the ground. "Hey! Stop it!" He immediately casted Healer on himself and  
rolled away as the enemy brought its foot down in an attempt to crush him. Roan stood up and  
analyzed his situation.  
  
One, his ways of attacking the enemy are limited. Most of his techniques and the Mist Egg's  
magic spells are Ice based, which are no good to his opponent. Two, the next line of attacking  
spells that the Mist Egg has are Wind based, they will do damage but not much. Three, he only  
has two options; fight up close with his Gladius or attack from a far with his Wind magic.  
  
The Snowman growled and lunged at Roan. Roan managed to avoid the attack while the enemy  
lost its balance and fell on the ground. Quickly, the Young King got on the Snowman's chest and  
plunged his Gladius into the Snowman's heart, killing it instantly.  
  
Tio threw a Lotus Flower at a Snowman and stunned it for a moment. She ran towards it and  
repeatedly slashed her opponent with her Angel Circle until it fell. Tio threw her blade rings in  
the air, caught them with one hand, and took a bow. "Threat eliminated."  
  
Melfice charged at his opponent with his sword held by both hands, ready to strike. When he was  
at striking distance, he slashed upwards at a 180 degree angle from the ground. The tip of the  
Cardinal Blade cut the beast's stomach open. Blood poured out from the wound and some  
intestines were visible from where Melfice stood. Narrowing his eyes, Melfice finished the  
Snowman off with a Burn! spell.  
  
Millenia kicked a dead corpse in front of her and snorted. "Was that all you got?!" she growled at  
the Snowman she just killed.  
  
Roan walked up to Melfice. "You know what? That was too easy," Roan frowned.  
  
Melfice nodded. "I know what you mean. I knew we were going to beat them but not that easily  
and quickly."  
  
"It is like they never had a chance," Tio added.  
  
Roan turned to Tio. "What is going on? The monsters are weakening. Do you think that this has  
anything to do with what happened back at Raul Hills?"  
  
"Maybe," Tio answered.  
  
Millenia cackled. "Who cares? What's important is that I'm feeling a little bit better now. Come  
on, let's keep moving," she suggested.  
  
"Yeah, let's keep moving. For now our concern is Gatta and the Cathedral Knights," Melfice  
agreed and began to walk with Millenia following behind him.  
  
Roan and Tio nodded and followed the two.  
  
***  
  
Melfice sat on the ground with his legs crossed in front of burning firewood. It was almost dark  
outside. He and the group decided to camp in a cavern. Roan and Tio left to fetch some water  
while Millenia was inside the tent.  
  
Melfice pondered about what just happened back in Mirumu. The townspeople shunned, feared,  
and rejected him for his past deeds. It hurt. Being rejected was another reason that fuelled his  
desire to fight and destroy the Cathedral Knights. He figured that if he got rid of them, his name  
would be cleared. Tomorrow, he and the group will go to St. Heim to learn more about the  
enemy.  
  
A squawk from a crow outside jolted Melfice back to reality.  
  
Melfice stood up and went outside. The wind was picking up, it was getting colder, it was getting  
darker, and Roan and Tio have not yet returned. Melfice turned around and went back to the  
cavern. He went in the tent and found Millenia curled into a ball on a corner with her eyes closed  
and with a sad look on her face.  
  
"Hey Millenia, we..." He stopped his sentence when he saw the look on her face.  
  
Millenia shot a dirty look towards the blue haired man. "What do you want?!"  
  
Melfice ignored her question and stood beside her. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern as  
he looked down on her.  
  
Millenia kept her position. She bit her lips and her eyes sparkled as if tears threatened to flood  
her eyes. There was no way she was going to cry, especially with him around. Millenia  
composed herself and blinked back the tears she held. She wore a scowl on her face and spoke in  
an irritated tone. "I'm all right, just pissed at those Mirumu idiots!"  
  
Melfice sat down next to her. "No, you're upset because after getting that old lady's purse back,  
she called you a Valmar incarnate in return."  
  
Millenia sighed. "You're right. But, I don't see why they should be afraid of me. Do you think  
it's because of my black wings?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Do you think I'm a demon, a Dark One?"  
  
"Not at all."  
  
Millenia did not know why she is opening up to Melfice and had no intentions of doing so in the  
first place. However, it made her feel better and relieving herself of pain was her top priority at  
the moment. "I didn't like the way they talked to me, looked at me, and treated me. It made me  
feel..." Millenia trailed off.  
  
"Different? Alone? A freak?" Melfice finished.  
  
Millenia nodded her head slowly. "Exactly."  
  
"I know how that feels. It..."  
  
"...hurts and gnaws your heart. Melfice, why do people do this? Do you think we'll find a place  
where we belong?"  
  
"It's just human nature to be afraid of things you don't know. Those people don't know the story  
behind your black wings, that's why they were freaked out by them. It's also human nature to be  
hurt and depressed by words and looks. They don't damage the body but the heart and the soul.  
In times like those, try to think about your place in the world and your friends and family. You  
have your sister, Elena, and Ryudo, Roan, and Tio. You belong with them."  
  
Millenia thought Melfice was right, but just about the human nature part. She can not explain  
why but there were times where she felt left out in the group. "What about you? Where do you  
think you belong?"  
  
"Let me see... I terrorized places and people, killed my fiancee, shunned by my hometown and  
countless of other people, and people think I'm a freak too. I don't know, I feel lost. All I have is  
Ryudo and no one else."  
  
"You really shouldn't have come here. You should've been back in Garlan with him."  
  
"No, you don't get it. Even if I have Ryudo, I can't really stand being around him. I feel ashamed  
and embarrassed whenever I'm with him. I made his life a living hell in the past years. I was  
happy to see him at first but then as time passed I felt..."  
  
"...like digging a hole and crawl in it and die so you don't have to face him?"  
  
Melfice smiled. "Right."  
  
"Don't worry, Ryudo will forgive you. He was pretty devastated when you... the other you died  
so you better not die on this mission."  
  
"I won't. I don't plan on dying as long as the Cathedral Knights are around and my questions  
about me aren't answered. Right now, I belong in the battlefield."  
  
"You know what? I sort of feel the same."  
  
"We both actually belong somewhere then."  
  
"Right," Millenia agreed and chuckled.  
  
Melfice arched an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Isn't it so much better when we both agree on something?"  
  
"Yeah, it's better than arguing, huh?" Melfice gave her a charming smile.  
  
Millenia stretched her arms out and stood up. "Say, where's Roan and Tio?"  
  
"They went to fetch some water so we have something to drink when we eat dinner," Melfice  
answered. "Dinner? Dinner? ...I forgot to start cooking dinner..." Melfice thought and had a  
troubled look on his face.  
  
Millenia noticed Melfice's distress. "Something wrong?"  
  
"I forgot to get dinner started."  
  
Millenia narrowed her eyes. "You what?!! How could you forget something like that?!! Great!!  
We're all going to die from hunger now!" she growled.  
  
"Looks like she's back to her old self," he thought. "What about you?! I didn't see you doing  
anything," Melfice countered.  
  
"I didn't see you doing anything either! You're useless."  
  
He forked up an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Melfice turned around. "I'm going to cook dinner now  
and since you called me "useless," you're not getting a speck of food." Chuckling, he left the tent.  
  
"Hey, get back here! I'm not done with you yet!" Millenia snarled and put her hands on her hips  
and in an irritated manner.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
Roan sat on a boulder by a stream. On the ground was a jar of water that they needed for dinner.  
Roan smiled as he watched the stream flow gently. "Everything is going as planned. What do  
you think Tio? Should we go back to the cavern?" he asked.  
  
Tio shook her head, who sat beside the Young King. "Maybe we should wait for five more  
minutes. Do you think this will really work?"  
  
"Of course, it worked for Ryudo and Elena last time."  
  
"What should we say if they ask us what took us so long?"  
  
Roan looked crafty. "We will just say we got lost, it worked last time."  
  
"I hope this would really help Millenia... and Melfice," Tio whispered to herself.  
  
***  
  
The following day, the group continued their journey to St. Heim after they ate breakfast. They  
got through the St. Heim mountains without encounters from monsters. By the time they got to  
St. Heim, it was nightfall. The group were several feet away from the gates of the city and hid  
behind a bush. The gate was guarded with Cathedral Knights.  
  
"It seems that they have fortified the city," Tio remarked.  
  
Melfice snorted. "I was counting on this."  
  
"It sounds like you have a plan," Roan said.  
  
"Yup," Melfice nodded.  
  
"So, what's the plan?" Millenia whispered.  
  
Melfice turned to the red head. "Use your wings to get past the Cathedral Knights and the city  
wall. We'll take care of the Cathedral Knights and when we're done with them, you open the gate  
from the other side."  
  
"All right." Millenia bent down to her waist and sprouted a pair of black wings. With a flap, she  
flew high in the dark, cloudy, night sky.  
  
Melfice turned to Roan and Tio. "Okay you two, cast your strongest spell on them. We have to  
kill them in one blow so they don't call for help."  
  
"Right," Roan and Tio agreed.  
  
The three charged up their magic spells and casted them all at once to their unsuspecting victims.  
Roan used Crackling, Tio unleashed Howlnado, and Melfice attacked with Hellburner. The seven  
Cathedral Knights that once stood in front of the gate were nothing more than corpses after the  
attack. The group hurried out of the bushes and ran towards the gate.  
  
"Millenia, open the gate," Melfice said.  
  
"We did it," Roan said as the gate opened.  
  
The three entered the city. In front of them was a road that would eventually lead to the ruins of  
the Granas Cathedral. To their left was an inn and to their right was a general store. Melfice  
took a step forward and looked around. "Where's Millenia?" he asked.  
  
"She's right here," a sinister voice hissed. Gatta stepped out of an alley with a Cathedral Knight  
carrying an unconscious Millenia on its shoulder.  
  
Melfice unsheathed the Cardinal Blade. "What did you do to her?!!!" he demanded.  
  
"Millenia!" Tio cried.  
  
"Drop your weapons or you'll perish with her!" Gatta snarled and snapped his fingers. Cathedral  
Knights stepped out of the alleys and surrounded the group. All of them put their hands forward  
as if they were getting ready to cast a big magic spell.  
  
Melfice growled in defeat and dropped his sword on the ground. Roan and Tio dropped their  
weapons as well. "We surrender." 


	12. Dark Side

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
Nekura put his hand forward as he began to gather energy for a Ba-Boom! He looked at Elena devilishly and cackled. "You'll perish with the Geohound, Ninja, and the Bird for interfering!!!"  
  
Kneeling beside the fallen Ryudo, Elena cradled his head on her lap and hugged his body to hers fiercely and protectively. Elena looked at Nekura with her ruby red eyes burning like fire. "I will not let you harm Ryudo!!" she protested. Elena nuzzled Ryudo's cheek and whispered, "do not worry Ryudo, I will take care of you. Everything will be fine." Elena slowly placed Ryudo back on the ground and stood up. She took out her Guardian Staff and held it forward. "Staff of nightmare!" she said as her staff flew out of her hands and circled around Nekura while shooting out bubbles.  
  
"AAAAHHHH!!!!" Nekura screamed as the bubbles hit him. The bubbles stung like acid when it eats away skin. Nekura fell on the ground on his knees, starting to feel light headed like the world was fading away. "I can't lose... to this girl...!!!" he rasped and forced himself to stand up. With a grunt, he hurled a Burn! spell at Elena.  
  
"I will not let you hurt Ryudo," Elena said in a monotone voice. With a wave of her hand, a barrier formed around her, nullifying the Burn! spell as it hit the shield. The Guardian Staff then returned to its master and Elena went into her fighting stance as she got her staff back.  
  
Nekura paused for a moment and examined her opponent. "She's stronger than I thought," he told himself mentally. A blue aura started to form around Elena. Nekura gasped at the energy Elena was radiating. "How... such power... how could someone like her have so much power?"  
  
Elena thought about Ryudo, Skye, and Lance and her aura burned and shined even more. Elena stood on her toes and raised her wand in the air. "Please Earth, answer me!" she cried. The ground rumbled violently and started to crack.  
  
"Damn it!" Nekura cursed to himself and jumped high in the air to escape Elena's attack. The cracks on the ground grew wider and pillars of lava erupted from the ground. One of the pillars hit Nekura and knocked him out of the air.  
  
As Nekura hit the ground, the ground returned back to normal as if the Quake spell was never used. Elena walked towards the intruder slowly with fury in her eyes. "Ryudo..." she whispered. Elena gasped as she felt something trying to crawl out of her back. She bent down to her waist and sprouted white, angel wings.  
  
Nekura stood up from the ground and looked at his opponent. "No way!! She has wings!!! She... she's a..." he gasped.  
  
Elena held her staff in the air and casted several Crackle spells all at once. "Oh Holy storm of ice!"  
  
Nekura was pummelled with the ice attacks. He felt his blood run cold and the sharp ice crystals cut through his skin. As soon as he recovered from the attack, he back flipped away to avoid another Crackle. Elena was merciless, she casted Crackle spells one after another. Nekura was jumping all over the place to keep himself from getting hit. "She has a lot of power, it's almost limitless. But it seems that she can't control it and doesn't know what she can do with it," he thought while dodging another Crackle. Nekura reared back with his right arm and then extended it forward, firing a purple energy beam at Ryudo and the others. "Say good bye to your friends!!" he cackled.  
  
"No... Ryudo..." Elena whispered and flew straight towards the others. She formed a barrier around her and the others before Nekura's beam could hit them.  
  
Nekura's attack was nullified by the barrier but he would not let something like that stop him. Laughing maliciously, he fired several more beams at the barrier. Elena could feel her shield weakening from the enemy's attack and made it stronger. Nekura did not stop attacking, the more the barrier got stronger, the more he attacked. After awhile, Elena started to tire. She could not keep the barrier up any longer. Nekura's attack were just too strong to repel.  
  
Lance groaned in pain and slowly opened his eyes. He could see Nekura shooting beams at them but Elena, with a barrier, stood between the enemy and him, Ryudo, and Skye. He also noticed something different about Elena, she had angel wings. "She... she has wings. I knew it... it's really her. I have to... help her..." he winced and stood up.  
  
Nekura fired one more beam at Elena and her barrier completely collapsed. Elena sank on the ground, gasping and panting for her breath. Her aura and wings vanished. "Ryudo... I am sorry..." she rasped and the world faded away.  
  
Lance ran towards the fallen Elena and knelt beside her. "Elena, ELENA!!!" he panicked as he shook her shoulders frantically. The Ninja heard Nekura laugh. He stood up and turned towards him. "You'll pay for what you did to her!!" he glared at him. Lance's ruby red eyes burned like fire. He closed his eyes and his black, leather trench coat, began to glow in red. With a silent grunt, his trench coat materialized into a pair of black wings on his back that looked similar to Millenia's. Lance opened his eyes and smirked underneath his mask at the surprised look on Nekura's face.  
  
"Hmmm... he has wings too..." Nekura told himself mentally. "Just what are you?" he asked.  
  
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Lance replied in his usual cold, monotone voice. "Why are you here? What do you want from these people?"  
  
Nekura scoffed. "Ha! Like I'd tell you!" he laughed maniacally.  
  
Lance looked into Nekura's eyes and saw nothing but pure insanity. "Nekura..." he whispered. Keeping his eyes on his enemy, Lance walked over to his katana and picked it up from the ground. Lance raised the Falchion straight above him into the air. "GET READY! DARK SLASH!" He then swept it downwards, firing a dark blue, crescent projectile at Nekura.  
  
Nekura dodged the attack effortlessly. "His power has increased... just like the girl."  
  
Lance dashed forward with his katana held forward by both hands. His black wings were stretched out and flapped once in awhile to help him gain speed. "You leave me no choice..." he whispered mentally.  
  
With a grunt, Nekura blasted to the sky and put his arm forward. Chuckling, he fired several purple beams with his hand. "DIE!" he laughed.  
  
With a strong flap from his black wings, Lance took to the air to pursue his enemy while dodging Nekura's attacks. When he caught up to his opponent, he swung the Falchion forward but Nekura blocked it with his own katana, Zankuro. Lance gritted his teeth underneath his mask and forced all of his strength into his katana, trying to break the enemy's defence and cut him down.  
  
"Things are going to end here and now!" Nekura hissed as he pushed Lance away.  
  
". . . . . ." Lance put one hand forward and casted a Poizn spell on Nekura. The attack caused minimal damage and it did not take its effect. He then dashed forward and slashed with his Falchion from right to left, knocking Nekura's katana away from his hand.  
  
Nekura watched his katana fall on the ground and then glared daggers at his opponent. "Why you..." he growled.  
  
Lance did not say anything, he just punched him on the face with his left arm. After that attack, he kneed Nekura on the stomach with his left foot and elbowed him with his right arm on the stomach again. He then spun around, his right leg extended forward, giving Nekura a taste of his slipper on the face. He quickly put his Falchion away and raised both hands in the air. He put his fists together and brought them down, hammering his opponent on the back, sending Nekura crashing to the ground.  
  
Nekura landed on his back with a loud thud. He coughed up some blood and stood up with his body shaking from pain. He picked up Zankuro from the ground and went into a fighting stance.  
  
Lance landed on a rooftop and watched Nekura shoot dirty looks at him. His black wings materialized back into his black, leather trench coat. "How am I suppose to beat this guy? He just keeps coming back for more."  
  
Nekura was about to go after Lance but heard someone walking towards him from his right. He looked to his right to see a Dragon Zap! fly straight towards him.  
  
"Feel the wrath of the sky!!" Ryudo yelled as the attack sent the enemy flying to a trash can. "Was that enough for you?!!"  
  
Groaning, Nekura got up from the ground and felt his head spinning. Everything was blurry like the world started fading away from his eyes. "I have to get out of here..." he rasped. He smiled as he heard Ryudo taunt him. "You'll... pay for this... You may have... wi... win this time... but... I'll be back... that I guarantee you...!!!" he growled, a bit incoherently. With a grunt, he took to the air and flew towards the horizon while laughing.  
  
The cold, violent rains, thunder, and lightning finally stopped. The dark clouds that filled the sky cleared and was replaced by the colour blue and the sun's gentle shine and warmth. "Finally... he's gone," Ryudo sighed to himself and ran towards Elena. He knelt beside her and ran his fingers down her cheek. "Elena, wake up. Come on, open your eyes," Ryudo pleaded silently.  
  
Lance jumped off the rooftop and watched Ryudo try to wake Elena up. Ryudo looked really worried, nervous, and panic stricken. It looked like the world was going to end if Elena did not wake up. "He cares deeply for her..." he thought. Lance walked over to Ryudo. "She's out cold," he said.  
  
Ryudo looked up to the Ninja. "Don't just stand there!! Give me a hand here!!" Ryudo hissed and picked up Elena from the ground carefully.  
  
Lance did not say anything and walked over to Skye. With one hand, he picked up the talking eagle.  
  
"Let's bring them back to my house," Ryudo instructed and carried Elena away.  
  
Lance nodded and followed the Geohound.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo brought Elena to her room and placed her on the bed. He then pulled up a chair to the bed to watch over her. Lance leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest as usual. Skye had gained consciousness when they got to Ryudo's house and sat on top of a dresser.  
  
Ryudo mentally scolded himself for letting himself get defeated by Nekura. If he was stronger, faster, and more clever, he could have beaten the enemy and Elena would not have come to their aid. He does not know what he would do if Nekura managed to kill Elena. He just wished that things turned out differently so Elena would not be laying on the bed right now. He also wished that there is something he could do the next time they meet Nekura so this would never happen again. Nekura was a powerful enemy and it took all of his power and probably all of Lance's to take him down. "Elena... this is all my fault..." Ryudo whispered to himself.  
  
Lance felt the same as Ryudo. He blamed himself for what happened to Elena. If he was not knocked out from the battle, he could have protected Elena. He swore to himself that he would protect her secretly, no matter what but he just failed her. At least now, Elena is safe and his suspicions about her have been confirmed. And Nekura, Lance knew him from his past. Lance and Nekura came from the same Ninja clan. "He's back... I thought he was dead. I wonder what he wants?" Lance asked himself. Lance sighed in exasperation and whatever was left of his heart ached, things in his life just got even more complicated and more messed up.  
  
Skye heard Lance sigh and looked at him. The Ninja was in his usual posture and his face wore its usual cold look. Lance's ruby red eyes looked empty and were void of any emotions or feelings. He wondered what is going on in the Ninja's head. Skye then looked at Ryudo. He was glad to see that Ryudo was taking care of Elena. He was even more glad that he loved Elena. Ryudo used to be cold and unfeeling but Elena managed to tame him and break down the walls that Ryudo built between himself and his past and emotions. Now, Skye just wished that Ryudo would just tell Elena how he feels and settle down with her.  
  
Ryudo stood up from his chair and turned to leave.  
  
"Going somewhere?" Skye asked.  
  
"I have to go to take care of something. It'll be quick. But until then, you have to watch over Elena," Ryudo replied.  
  
"Okay. Just get back here as soon as you can," Skye nodded.  
  
"Thanks." Ryudo walked towards the door way and stopped there to look at the Ninja.  
  
"He's looking at me pretty suspiciously. I wonder if he saw my wings," Lance thought.  
  
Ryudo looked long and hard as if he was searching for something in Lance's eyes. The Ninja's eyes were hollow, he found nothing in them. Without saying anything to the Ninja, Ryudo left the room to take care of his business.  
  
"Where do you think he's going? I'm surprised he'd leave Elena like this," Skye asked.  
  
"Hmph. Why are you asking me? Why didn't you ask him?" Lance replied coldly.  
  
The two then heard a soft moan. They shot their heads towards Elena and heard her moan out again. Elena opened her eyes and found herself in a room. She sat up from the bed and saw Skye sitting on the dresser and Lance leaning against the door way. Both of them were looking at her. "Skye?" Elena groaned groggily.  
  
"It's okay Elena. We brought you back to your room," Skye said.  
  
Elena looked around the room, someone was missing. "Ryudo? Where is Ryudo?"  
  
Skye flew towards Elena and perched himself on the night stand beside the bed. "You just missed him. He left to take care of something."  
  
Elena put her hands together on her chest. "Is it that man that attacked us?"  
  
Skye shook his head. "No, he is gone, he retreated."  
  
Lance walked towards Elena and stood beside her bed. "He didn't really say where he was exactly going. But he'll be back soon."  
  
"Oh." Elena's stomach rumbled and then she chuckled embarrassingly. "I guess I am a little hungry after that battle. I am sorry."  
  
Skye laughed a bit. "It's all right. Do you want to eat anything?" Elena nodded and was about to get off the bed but Skye stopped her. "Hold it. You should stay in bed until Ryudo gets back."  
  
"He's right. I'll just go downstairs to get you something," Lance agreed.  
  
"Th... thank you," Elena smiled.  
  
"It's nothing." Lanced turned around and left the room to go to the kitchen.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo walked up the stairs that would lead to Elena's room. He just got back from "taking care of his business." He walked slowly with a million thoughts racing through his mind. Ryudo paused for a moment as he heard Elena's voice. "Elena..." he gasped and ran up to the room. Ryudo entered the room and found Elena sitting on the bed with a plate of food on her lap.  
  
Elena put her food aside as she set her eyes on Ryudo. "Hi Ryudo. Where have you been?" she smiled.  
  
Ryudo missed what Elena said and strode towards her. "I'm glad you're up Elena. How are you?"  
  
Elena got off the bed. "I am okay."  
  
Ryudo put his hands on her shoulders. "Why didn't you stay inside the house? You shouldn't have fought that guy. You could've gotten killed."  
  
Elena looked away. "I was really worried about you. I just could not bear to sit around in here while you were out there fighting. Besides, I do not see why I could not fight that man with you. I did help defeat Valmar last year."  
  
Ryudo sighed. "Things are different now."  
  
Elena's voice rose a notch. "How are they different?!"  
  
"This looks bad. I better do something," Skye thought. "Say Ryudo, exactly where did you go or what did you do?"  
  
Ryudo looked at Skye. "I had to get something back."  
  
Elena broke away from Ryudo and sat down on the bed. "Get what?"  
  
Ryudo took out a scabbard and withdrew the sword from it. He held the sword in front of everyone so they could see it. "The Granasaber. I left to get it back from Grail Mountain where I hid it."  
  
"So that's the so called "Divine Sword," the sword of hope and the sword that defeated Valmar," Lance thought.  
  
"I thought there is no more need for that," Elena said.  
  
"I think we'll need its power again with the Cathedral Knights and that guy running around," Ryudo replied.  
  
"Are you sure it's necessary? We can handle the Cathedral Knights just fine and the intruder... well, we could find another way to deal with him," Skye asked.  
  
Ryudo shook his head. "I'm not taking any chances. That guy almost took us out and what if there were others like him?"  
  
Elena frowned. "Who was he anyway?"  
  
"I haven't seen him," Skye answered.  
  
"I don't know him either but he has the crest of Valmar on the back of his gi shirt," Ryudo added.  
  
Elena looked alarmed. "Do you think he could be a Valmar incarnate?"  
  
"No way! We destroyed Valmar and Zera!! It's impossible!!" Ryudo said coldly.  
  
"In any case, we don't know who or what we're dealing with. The only thing we know is that he's extremely dangerous," Skye told everyone.  
  
Ryudo looked at Lance. "Hey, what about you? Do you know the guy that just attacked us?"  
  
"No," was all Lance said.  
  
"I am worried about everyone now. That mad man could be anywhere by now. What if Millenia and the others run into him?" Elena asked.  
  
"You're right. The others are in trouble if they meet him," Ryudo agreed.  
  
"What is our course of action now?" Skye asked.  
  
"We... we should go to St. Heim and get the others. We better start packing up." Ryudo turned to Elena. "Elena you..."  
  
Elena cut him off. "Do not tell me to stay here. I am coming with you regardless of what you say." Elena got up from the bed and walked towards the doorway. She stopped there and gave Ryudo a determined look. "I am going to start packing and... I will not let you stop me." With that, Elena left.  
  
Ryudo sighed. "What if she gets hurt or something?"  
  
Skye gave the Geohound a sympathetic look. "I know that you're trying to keep her away from danger. But, try to understand that she'd rather be in danger with you by her side. She..."  
  
"That's enough Skye!!" Ryudo snapped and stormed out of the room to get his supplies.  
  
Lance chuckled to himself silently and exited the room as well.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo and company left his house as soon as they finished packing their belongings for the journey ahead. They went to the Skyway Station and boarded the flight for St. Heim.  
  
Lance entered the lounge to keep himself occupied. There were so many things in his head that he was getting a headache. The Ninja looked to his left and saw a little Leprechaun sitting on a pot of gold at a corner. The Leprechaun smiled and waved at him. "Okay..." Lance frowned and ignored it. He walked towards a table with a group of men playing cards and sat down to join them. "I'm in," he said coldly.  
  
"The game is Asshole," a short man with a pair of glasses said.  
  
Lance scoffed. "Fine with me."  
  
A tall, fat man then shuffled the cards and started handing them out to everyone. The first card Lance got was the three of clubs. "Damn it..." he growled through clenched teeth. Lance looked away and saw the Leprechaun waving at him again from the corner. "Who is that?" he asked himself and picked up the rest of his cards from the table. "Wow," he gasped silently as he arranged his cards. Aside from the three, he was guaranteed to win with his hand. He had two twos, two aces, and the rest of his hand were face cards.  
  
Elena stood alone in the deck. She watched the clouds pass by but she was not really watching them. Her mind was somewhere else. Her thoughts were on Ryudo. She noticed that Ryudo has been pushing her away. Ryudo would not let her help, journey, fight, nothing. He would rather have her sit tight at his house and wait. Waiting would just kill her from worrying too much. She would rather stay by his side no matter what. Why can't Ryudo just see that?  
  
Ryudo watched Elena from afar. It hurt to see her with a pained look on her face. He knew he was the reason why she was upset. But, he is just doing what other men would probably do; keep her away from danger. "Being with your girl is good but keeping her safer is better," he told himself. Until all the threats in the world are gone, he cannot be with Elena. Being with Elena now would just put her in danger and would just distract him from his goals. Why can't Elena just see that?  
  
Ryudo looked at Elena one more time and went to the lounge. He sat down on a table, alone. Skye then came and perched himself on his shoulder.  
  
"Why won't you go out there and talk to her? Comfort her, tell her how you feel," Skye suggested.  
  
"I can't, I won't," Ryudo protested.  
  
"Say she stayed in Garlan. What if you got killed or she found someone else while you were gone? What will you do then? You will never get to see her again."  
  
"It doesn't matter if I die. It'll be worth it if the world becomes a safer place for her."  
  
"Stubborn as usual," Skye thought and decided it was hopeless to argue with him right now. "I hope you know what you're doing Ryudo. I hope you won't do anything that you'd regret later." With that, Skye flew away.  
  
Ryudo sighed heavily. Aside from Elena, he has to worry about the road ahead as well. The flight attendant told him earlier that the Skyway cannot go to St. Heim due to attacks. The flight would stop in the town of Mirumu. He has to worry about Melfice and the others as well. He just hoped that they are okay. "Hold on Melfice, we're coming." 


	13. Imprisonment

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Thirteen  
  
Ryudo and company stepped out of the Skyway Station entrance. It was in the middle of the day and they finally reached Mirumu. Ryudo looked around and noticed that nothing had changed... except a crowd of people started to gather around them. Ryudo felt uncomfortable being confined in a small space. "Hey! Get out of our way!" he yelled. The crowd just ignored him.  
  
"Hey look! It's Miss Elena!!!" one person said excitedly.  
  
"I can't believe she's here in Mirumu again!!"  
  
Skye took to the air from Ryudo's shoulder and smiled at Elena. "I take it that this is your fan club."  
  
A man tried to push Lance out of the way in an attempt to go up to Elena and get her autograph. "Piss off," Lance hissed with a glare and pushed the man back to the crowd.  
  
Something clicked in Elena's head. "Oh my!!" she gasped.  
  
Ryudo stretched his arms out and stood in front of the famous singer to prevent the fan club from advancing on her. "You people are crazy!! Get lost!!"  
  
Again, the crowd ignored the Geohound and pushed him down to the ground. They strode towards Elena and crowded her. They started asking her all sorts of questions like, "Can I have your autograph?!"  
  
"Who are these people you're with?"  
  
"Is it really true you're involved with a Geohound?"  
  
"Who's the Ninja? Is he a new bodyguard?"  
  
The only thing Elena could do was smile and fake laughs at her fans. It was like this every time she had a concert. She liked the attention, she liked being adored, and she liked making people happy with her songs but sometimes things would get a little out of hand. Her fans had really crowded her now, she felt sick. She could hardly breathe and her body felt cold and shook a bit from being trapped. She had the urge to knock them down and run to an open field.  
  
Lance growled to himself, he just had enough. The Ninja unsheathed his Falchion and yelled, "HEY!!" He caught the attention of the fan club. He swung his katana in the air and spoke as cold as he could, in monotone and with a death glare to match of course. "Get the hell away from her unless you want this," he swung his katana again, "being shoved into your stomach. What do you say, hmm?"  
  
The crowd looked at Lance's Falchion and watched it glisten under the sunshine for one whole second. After that, they let out screams and stormed away.  
  
Skye laughed a bit. "Finally."  
  
Elena turned to Lance and smiled at him. "That was not very nice you know."  
  
"Does it matter? They're gone, aren't they?" Lance replied and sheathed his katana.  
  
Ryudo groaned in pain and stood up from the ground. "Ow, my fingers and my head got stepped on... damn rat bastards..." he muttered as he dusted dirt off of his clothes.  
  
Elena put her hands together on her chest and looked worried all of a sudden. "That just reminds me. My one month vacation was up two days ago. I wonder what my manager is thinking right now," Elena said. "I... I should send a message to my manager for an extended absence."  
  
Skye landed on Ryudo's shoulder. "Do what you need to do, right Ryudo?"  
  
Ryudo nodded. "Oh... uh... right." The Geohound pointed at a restaurant across the street. "Meet us there when you're done."  
  
"Thank you." Elena took a respectful bow and left.  
  
"Damn, not only is this trip putting her in danger, but it's interfering with her career too," Ryudo thought.  
  
Skye looked at the Geohound's face and read his mind. "Pity," he said to himself.  
  
Ryudo, Skye, and Lance crossed the street and went in the restaurant. At the entrance, the three met two familiar faces; Sandra and Aira.  
  
"Hello there," Sandra greeted.  
  
"Hi! It's... uh, nice to see you again," Ryudo replied, a bit awkwardly.  
  
"Hi Lance!" Aira smiled at the Ninja.  
  
Lance gave the little girl somewhat of a friendly look. "Have you been staying out of trouble?"  
  
"Yes," Aira nodded.  
  
Ryudo nudged his head towards Lance. "Hey Aira, you know this guy?"  
  
"Yes, he helped me get my mother's necklace back when a drunk from a bar stole it from me," Aira answered.  
  
"So, what brings you back here in Mirumu?" Sandra asked.  
  
Ryudo scratched his head. "Well... to make a long story short, I'm looking for Millenia and Roan. You guys seen them by any chance?"  
  
Sandra shook her head. "No, but I heard stories of a red head with black wings attacking a young man yesterday."  
  
Ryudo frowned. "Sounds like Millenia but I don't see why she'd attack someone. Hmm... do you know anything else?"  
  
"No, I'm sorry," Sandra said.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Ryudo told her.  
  
"Well, we better get going. It's good bye for now," Sandra announced and took Aira's arm.  
  
"Good bye," Aira said while she waved her hand in the air.  
  
"See you later," Ryudo said and watched the two leave. When Sandra and Aira were out of sight, Ryudo sighed and went to the dining room with Lance trailing behind him. The two sat down on a table, across from each other.  
  
"I'm guessing Melfice and the others are in St. Heim by now," Skye said.  
  
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too," Ryudo agreed. "I wonder if they're all right. Who knows what's-his-face can do or what kind of dirty tricks Gatta can pull on them if they do meet each other?"  
  
There was a minute of silence between the three, all of them buried in their thoughts. After awhile, a waiter came up to them. "Good afternoon gentlemen, how may I help you?" he asked.  
  
Ryudo made a gesture with his hand for him to hold on. "Could you give us some time? We're waiting for someone."  
  
"Certainly." The waiter turned around and left.  
  
Elena then came and sat next to Ryudo. "I am sorry for keeping you waiting. It took some time but I convinced my manager for an extended absence."  
  
"Great timing," Ryudo said sarcastically.  
  
***  
  
"LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!" Millenia shouted while she pounded the energy wall that sealed their prison cell. They have been captured by Gatta and were now deep in the Cathedral Knights' base of operation with their weapons and Mana Eggs sealed away in another room. Millenia sighed in exasperation and turned around to face her friends. Roan and Tio sat side by side on one corner while Melfice sat by himself on another corner. Millenia strode towards Melfice and sat next to him. "How are we going to get out here?" she asked impatiently.  
  
"I'm still working on that," Melfice replied.  
  
Roan looked at Millenia. "How did you get captured anyway Miss Millenia?"  
  
"When I flew to the other side of the gate, a Cathedral Knight sneaked up from behind and knocked me out before I could let you guys in," Millenia replied.  
  
"They knocked us out too after we surrendered for your safety," Melfice said.  
  
Tio frowned a bit. "I wonder how Ryudo and the others are doing. Do you think we will see them again?"  
  
"Let's hope so," Melfice sighed.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo and company stood outside the gates of St. Heim. It was night fall, it was the perfect time to sneak into the city. Ryudo looked at the gates of the city. "Damn, they closed the entrance. We'll have to find another way in."  
  
"Do you think Gatta is expecting us?" Elena asked.  
  
"Probably," Ryudo nodded. "We're in the enemy's nest, you should always expect the worse."  
  
"I'll scout ahead," Skye announced. The eagle spread out its wings and took to the air.  
  
"But I just hope that Gatta or that mad man back from Garlan did not get the others," Elena said.  
  
Lance looked up and stared at the dark sky. "Nekura... I wonder if you'll show up."  
  
Skye finally returned and landed on Ryudo's shoulder. "There's Cathedral Knights posted every where. We'll have to find another way in."  
  
Ryudo put his hand under his chin. "Tight security, huh? If Melfice and the others got here, the best thing to assume right now is that they got captured. If we try to sneak through the gate, chances are; we'll get caught."  
  
"Where are we going to find another way in?" Elena asked.  
  
Lance sighed to himself in irritation. If he was alone, he could sneak into the city without being seen, something Ninjas did best. However, he had company this time and they are not exactly masters of stealth. The Ninja looked down and saw something on the ground. It was a manhole. He walked towards it, bent down, and lifted it. "Hey, let's use this to get in."  
  
Ryudo and Elena turned towards the Ninja. "Do you even know where that would take us?!" Ryudo asked, a bit roughly.  
  
"It is worth trying Ryudo. We have nothing to lose." Elena walked towards the manhole and climbed down to the sewer below.  
  
"Hmph." Lance gave the Geohound a mocking look and jumped down to the sewer.  
  
"So Lover Boy, are we going down there or what?" Skye nagged.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going but if something goes wrong, it'll all be his fault," Ryudo complained and climbed down. "I'm surprised there's no guards here," he commented as he jumped off the ladder and onto the floor.  
  
"I guess it's true when they say there's no such thing as a perfect defense or security," Skye remarked.  
  
Ryudo and Elena nodded in agreement and the gang started walking down the sewer. After awhile, the gang met a dead end with a ladder that would lead them to the surface. Ryudo climbed the ladder first, all the way to the top and with one hand, he lifted the manhole a bit. He peeked through it to look for any signs of danger. The place was clear so he climbed to the surface and a few moments later, Elena and Lance joined him. The group found themselves in an alley.  
  
"Where are we now?" Elena asked.  
  
"I know this place," Lance replied. "We're in the back alley of the church we previously visited."  
  
"How convenient, we're just in the right place. But I'm betting the entrance to the underground factory is guarded though," Ryudo said.  
  
"I'll take care of the security," Lance volunteered and jumped to the church's rooftop. The Ninja ran to the other end of the roof. He jumped off and landed gracefully on a balcony. Lance turned towards a glass sliding door and entered it. He found himself in the second floor of the church, the section where the choir sang. He strode silently towards the floor's railing and looked down. The entrance was right beneath him and there were two Cathedral Knights guarding it. "It's time to end this."  
  
Lance unsheathed his katana and leapt off the railing with his weapon held downwards. The Ninja plunged the Falchion deep into the Cathedral Knight's back. He then turned to the other and twisted its neck. The two fell onto the floor and did not get up again. Satisfied with his work, he picked up the Falchion and turned towards the entrance. "After this, I'll take care of Nekura and then Elena," he thought and entered the underground factory.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo thumped his foot on the ground impatiently with his arms crossed. "Damn that guy!! Is he coming back or what?!! It's almost been fifteen minutes since he left!!" Ryudo muttered.  
  
Elena clasped her hands together on her chest. "I wonder if Lance is safe. I hope the Cathedral Knights did not get him."  
  
"Maybe we should go in there," Skye suggested.  
  
Ryudo's smirked. "I was about to say that. Hmph, I'm not waiting for that guy to come back. Come on, let's go in there."  
  
The three left the back alley and went to the church's front door. Ryudo hesitated to open the door for a moment, he wondered if there were Cathedral Knights inside waiting to ambush him. With a deep breath, he opened the door slowly. Ryudo unsheathed the Granasaber and entered the church. He looked around and saw no one in the holy temple. He then motioned with his hand for Elena to come inside.  
  
Elena saw the two Cathedral Knights that Lance killed and ran towards them. "Oh my..."  
  
Ryudo scowled. "So he did get the guards but I don't see why he didn't come back to tell us. That rotten..."  
  
"Ryudo!" Elena scolded. "What if he got captured?!"  
  
Ryudo felt a dagger in his heart. Elena was taking Lance's side. Why would Elena stick up for the Ninja? "Gah... why are these things in my head?!! I've got better things to worry about right now... I'll deal with this later," Ryudo told himself mentally. The Geohound ignored Elena's question. "Come on Elena, let's see if Melfice and the others are here." Ryudo entered the factory with Elena following behind her and Skye on his shoulder.  
  
***  
  
Lance crawled through an air vent to prevent himself from being detected. The Ninja stopped crawling as he heard a sob from below. He looked down and through the screen, he saw people in cages crying and sobbing. "Probably the citizens of St. Heim. So, this is where they're held captive."  
  
Lance continued to crawl through the vents. His main objective was to learn more about the enemies. Leaving the party and sneaking around in the vents was the only way to get past the security systems around the enemies' base. If Ryudo and Elena were with him, they would be easily detected. Lance stopped as he heard bleeping noises. He looked down and below him was a room with computers. "This would have to do..." The Ninja punched out the screen and crawled out of the vent.  
  
Lance seated himself on a computer and started to look for information. He typed on the keyboard quickly and soon information about Cathedral Knights was displayed on the screen. "What?!!! This can't be real!!!" he gasped after he read. "Damn... this is messy..." He stood up from the chair and put his hand under his chin to ponder his next move. Lance put his left hand forward, aimed for the computers, and fired a big ball of fire. "DARK FLARE!" The computers in the room bursted into flames and the alarms in the base began to blare. "That's my cue." The Ninja picked up the screen from the floor and jumped back to the vent. He put the screen back in its place as if it were never touched and left.  
  
***  
  
The alarms blared like crazy in the base's command room and it irritated Gatta. "What in the name of Granas is happening?!! Are we under attack?!!" Gatta asked.  
  
A man dressed in a white robe on a computer answered. "Sir, there was an explosion."  
  
An old man in a white robe then entered the room. "Where is the explosion?" he asked.  
  
Gatta bowed to the old man. "Cardinal Uru, we're under attack."  
  
"We can't find it Cardinal. We lost some power, energy, and resources due to the explosion," another man on a computer replied.  
  
Gatta punched the wall. "Damn!!! It's probably HIM!!!"  
  
***  
  
The Cathedral Knights that guarded Melfice and company left their post as the alarms went. Millenia stood up from the floor and arched an eyebrow. "Hey!! Where are they going?! What's going on?!"  
  
"The base is probably under attack," Roan suspected.  
  
"Ryudo?" Tio frowned.  
  
"Maybe," Melfice nodded.  
  
Millenia poked the energy wall with her index finger. It flashed for a moment and then vanished. "Hey!! We're free!!" she exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"Whoo, finally," Roan sighed in relief.  
  
The group left their cell and found their weapons and Mana Eggs in the cell next to theirs. They picked up their weapons and equipped them.  
  
"Let's get out of here!!" Melfice said. Millenia, Roan, and Tio nodded in unison and the four ran down the hall way. The group's escape got interrupted by Cathedral Knights here and there who tried to bar their paths but they just made quick work of them. The group turned to an adjacent corridor and bumped into someone and everyone fell on the floor.  
  
"This is really not my day..." Ryudo groaned as he stood up and looked at the people who ran into him and Elena. "Melfice?"  
  
Melfice looked up from the floor and stood up. "Ryudo?"  
  
"Brother, I'm glad we found you!!" Ryudo exclaimed.  
  
"Me too Ryudo," Melfice nodded.  
  
Millenia frowned. "Say? Where's Lance?"  
  
Ryudo rolled his eyes. "Hmph, that guy ditched us. Who knows where he is?"  
  
"We have to leave this place," Roan suggested.  
  
"It is dangerous in here," Tio added.  
  
"We cannot leave without Lance," Elena disagreed.  
  
"Yeah, we can't just leave the guy in here," Millenia said.  
  
"Millenia too? What's going on here?" Ryudo asked himself.  
  
The vent above the group shook and the screen popped open. Lance crawled out of the vent and landed in front of the group. Everyone stared at him but he ignored it. "I've got some information that would interest you but... we should get out of here first. It's about the Cathedral Knights..." 


	14. Revelations

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
"Okay everyone, Lance is here so let's all skedaddle," Millenia suggested with enthusiasm.  
  
"Where should we go from here?" Roan asked. "It is a big place, we could easily get lost."  
  
"It looks like we're going to have to gamble," Ryudo answered.  
  
Melfice shook his head. "No, we should find a direct exit instead. Wandering around aimlessly and hoping that we'll find a way out will take longer."  
  
Elena frowned. "Where do we find for a way out?"  
  
"...and won't the enemy be expecting us at an exit?" Ryudo added.  
  
"I know they will be expecting us." Melfice turned to Tio. "You're an Automata, part human and part machine... that makes you an expert with machines, right?"  
  
Tio nodded. "Yes. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Can you find an exit that has the least defenses?" Melfice asked.  
  
"If I had access to their computers, maybe I could," Tio said.  
  
Melfice scoffed. "If it's just their computer you need, then I'll find you one." The group then ran to the end of the corridor with Melfice on the lead. He found a door and opened it. He poked his head through the door and discovered that the room is empty. After that, he checked the next room, which was just a storage room. Melfice then turned to the door across from the second one. He opened it and found what he was looking for.  
  
Roan looked to his left and saw two Cathedral Knights coming at them. "We have company."  
  
Ryudo smirked and took out the Granasaber. "Melfice, you go find the exit and I'll take care of these two."  
  
Roan unsheathed the Gladius. "I will stay and help."  
  
Melfice motioned with his hand for the rest to get in the room. "Come on, let's go!"  
  
Everyone went inside the room and Tio immediately helped herself on a computer with everyone watching behind her. Tio typed on the keyboard to look up the base's structure. A minute ticked by and the Automata found their way out. "I found the best exit," she announced.  
  
Millenia turned to Melfice. "You know, since we're here, why not look up some stuff about yourself too?"  
  
Tio sighed in disappointment. "I already did that and I also tried to find something about the Cathedral Knights but I could not access the files. It seems that some of the files in the data base are missing."  
  
"I probably destroyed them when I blew up the other room," Lance thought.  
  
"Well at least Lance has information about the Cathedral Knights," Elena said.  
  
Melfice hid his disappointment. "Oh well. Let's get out of here." The group ran out of the room and found Ryudo and Roan standing over the Cathedral Knight's corpses.  
  
"Did you find it?" Roan asked.  
  
"Yes, I did it," Tio smiled.  
  
"Oh yay! Are we going to stand around here or escape?!" Ryudo said sarcastically.  
  
"I shall lead the way," Tio suggested and ran to the end of the corridor. "This way." She pointed to her left and made a turn. The others nodded in unison and followed her. The group made a lot of twists and turns and ran down a couple of spiralling staircases, the Granas Base was big.  
  
"Are we there yet?!" Millenia asked Tio impatiently. "My feet are starting to hurt."  
  
"Just a bit more," Tio answered.  
  
Melfice, who ran beside Millenia, let out a small laugh. "They wouldn't hurt if you didn't wear high heels."  
  
Millenia jabbed his arm with her elbow. "Was I talking to you?!"  
  
"Heads up!" Ryudo exclaimed as he saw two Cathedral Knights guarding the door at the end of the hall.  
  
Lance reached for one of the many pockets inside his trench coat and threw a couple of shurikens at the Knights. Roan followed up the Ninja's attack with a Howlslash to finish them off.  
  
Tio walked up to the door and pressed a combination of buttons on the control panel on the wall. The door slid open and the Automata entered. The others followed Tio and their jaws dropped in awe as they realized where they were. They were in an underground dock. In the middle of the dock was a Granasaber ship. Tio turned around to face her friends. "Well, what do you think?"  
  
Lance quickly composed himself. "She wasn't kidding when she said she found the best exit," he thought.  
  
"Awesome..." Millenia whispered to herself.  
  
"Tio! This is amazing!!" Roan said with a laugh.  
  
"Great work Tio," Melfice commented.  
  
"Thank you. Now, let us make our escape," Tio suggested and ran towards the Granasaber with everyone behind her. As they reached the ship, Tio formed a red barrier around herself and the gang and warped into the Granasaber's control room.  
  
"Will this thing work?" Ryudo asked.  
  
Tio sat down on the pilot's seat and typed on the keyboard on the control panel. "The ship has one hundred percent power. It will fly but it does not have any weapon systems installed."  
  
"But we can take it to Cyrum and add weapons to it. This thing will be of great use to us," Roan replied.  
  
Elena clasped her hands together on her chest. "We are taking this flying vessel to Cyrum?"  
  
"We're stealing it, okay? Get over it!" Millenia snorted.  
  
"Wow, this is the first time I've seen or been in something like this. Ryudo, you rode one of these before, right?" Melfice said.  
  
"Yeah, but it got destroyed though," Ryudo replied.  
  
"Shall we take off now?" Tio asked.  
  
"By all means yes," Skye answered.  
  
Tio nodded. "Okay. Brace yourselves."  
  
Roan sat next to Tio, on the second pilot's seat. The others seated themselves on the computer terminals on the sides. Tio typed on the keyboard and a couple of lights on the ceiling, and the other computers went on. The gang strapped their safety seat belts on as the engines roared and the computers hummed. The ceiling in the dock rumbled and opened up, forming an exit to the outside world. The Granasaber rose from the floor and blasted out of the dock.  
  
"Finally, we're out of there!!" Millenia cheered.  
  
A 3D, semi transparent map appeared in the middle of the room to display the landscape below, the St. Heim Pastures. "That is what is below us," Tio said.  
  
"Who would've thought that there's something like this under all of that grass," Ryudo remarked.  
  
Elena pointed at the screen on her terminal. The screen was black and in the middle of it was a blue dot with a green circle around it, displaying the ship and its perimeter. Behind the blue dot were two red dots heading straight towards it, the red dots being incoming intruders. "There is something unusual on my screen."  
  
"It's the enemy, they've followed us," Melfice told everyone.  
  
"And they're probably not too happy," Ryudo added.  
  
"I will give you a visual on the enemy," Roan announced. The 3D map vanished and was replaced by a screen showing two winged, white dragons.  
  
"Damn, just what have those guys been doing?! First there's Cathedral Knights, then an underground base, plus Granasabers, and now dragons?!!" Ryudo snarled.  
  
The screen showed the dragons firing lasers with their mouths and the next second, the gang felt the Granasaber rumble. "My screen says five percent energy loss," Millenia said.  
  
Lance looked at his screen. It just said, "NO WEAPONS AVAILABLE FOR USE" in red.  
  
"We're going to get roasted if we don't do something!!" Ryudo exclaimed.  
  
"But we cannot fight them, the Granasaber has no weapons," Tio replied.  
  
"We're going to have to fight them ourselves, outside the ship," Melfice ordered.  
  
"Right. Only four of us can fight. Tio has to stay here to keep piloting the ship. I'm definitely fighting," Ryudo agreed.  
  
Millenia undid her seat belt. "You'll need me out there."  
  
Roan looked at Ryudo. "I am going to stay here and help Tio pilot the ship."  
  
Melfice stood up. "I'm fighting too."  
  
Lance chuckled coldly. "Hmph, I guess I'm going up there too."  
  
"Good luck to you all," Skye said, who was perched on Tio's shoulder."  
  
Elena sighed. "I guess I will just stay here."  
  
Ryudo strapped off his seat belt and stood up. "So Tio, how do we get out there?"  
  
Tio pointed at the end of the control room. "At the end of the room is a red, round platform. It is a warping platform. It could take you on the deck, the hangar, the lounge, the rooms, and other parts of the ship."  
  
Ryudo nodded his head. "Okay, gotcha."  
  
Before Ryudo could stride away, Elena reached for his arm. "Ryudo, please be careful."  
  
Ryudo gave her a charming smile. "I will, don't worry about us." The Geohound then walked to the end of the room with Millenia, Melfice, and Lance behind him. All four of them stepped onto the red, round platform. Ryudo turned to the control panel on the wall and pressed the button that said "Deck." A red barrier formed around them and were transported outside the ship. The group found themselves standing on the red sphere at the rear end of the Granasaber.  
  
Melfice pointed something behind them. "There they are."  
  
The two dragons fired beams again but the Granasaber managed to avoid them. "We have to draw their attention to us," Ryudo suggested.  
  
"Leave that to me." Millenia bent down to her waist and sprouted a pair of black wings on her back. She took to the air and took out her Black Angel Bow. She fired two Arrow Shots at the dragons and hit both of them on their left hind legs.  
  
The dragons roared in pain and their heads swung back and forth to see who just attacked them.  
  
Millenia whistled and waved her hand in the air. "Hey, over here!!!" she yelled.  
  
The dragons snarled and narrowed their eyes at the red head. They flapped their scaly wings faster so they could catch up to their attacker.  
  
Millenia landed back on the ship. "Okay boys, here they come!"  
  
Ryudo took out the Granasaber Sword. Lance unsheathed the Falchion. Melfice assumed his fighting stance with his Cardinal Blade.  
  
One of the dragons appeared to the ship's right side. The other stayed behind the first one as if it was waiting for its chance to attack. The dragons roared. The first dragon turned around and swung its long, whip like tail at the group.  
  
Millenia spread her black wings out and took to the air. Ryudo, Lance, and Melfice quickly got down to the ground and rolled back to safety. Before the three could get up, they heard the second dragon screech and looked up. The giant, winged lizard reared its head back to gather energy for an attack. It screeched again and fired several energy balls with its mouth.  
  
"Dammit!!!" Ryudo cursed to himself. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack. Lance covered himself with his trench coat and Melfice did the same with his cape. The three expected the attack to hit them hard but it never came. Ryudo opened one eye and looked around. The dragons were right behind them again. Apparently, the Granasaber Ship sped away before the attack could nail them. "Whoo, close one," Ryudo sighed.  
  
"Don't celebrate yet," Melfice said as he pointed at the first dragon. The first one was heading straight towards them again while the other went after Millenia.  
  
The flying lizard eventually caught up with the ship and appeared to its left side this time. It swung its powerful tail again at the group but missed.  
  
Lance glared ice cold daggers at the enemy and raised the Falchion into the air with both hands. The Falchion's blade glowed with a blue aura and the Ninja then slashed downwards. "Get ready! Dark Slash!" He fired a blue crescent projectile with his katana. He hit the dragon right on the left side of its neck.  
  
Ryudo ran up to their opponent and reared back with the Granasaber Sword. With the weapon held with both hands, he swung the sword forward and pierced the dragon's arm. "Tenseiken Slash!!"  
  
Melfice held the Cardinal Blade in the air with both hands. "HAA!!!" He then brought the sword down to the ground. "Demon Horde Slash!!!" A huge, crest of blue swords formed on the ground and the crest released destructive energy.  
  
The dragon screeched in pain and eyed its assailants. It reared its head back to charge up for another beam. The Granasaber Ship sped away again just in time to avoid the attack. The dragon let out an irritated growled and fired more beams at its escaping prey.  
  
Back on the ship, Lance charged up for a magic spell. He put his left hand forward and used Poizn. "Dark spirits of the forests, gather and destroy!!"  
  
"This is why you're no good!!" Melfice reared back and raised the Cardinal Blade in the air. Several fire birds formed behind him and flew high in the sky. The fire birds screeched and dived bomb on the dragon.  
  
"Freezing rage!!!" Ryudo put his left hand forward and casted Crackling on the enemy.  
  
The dragon howled in pain. However, it would not let something like magic stop it from destroying the intruders who attacked the base. The giant lizard snarled and flew high in the air. It opened its mouth and fired several yellow, energy balls at the Granasaber below.  
  
"Stay down!!" Melfice yelled to the other two. The three knelt down and shielded themselves with their weapons. It rained energy balls on the Granasaber and the ship rocked violently each time it was hit.  
  
Lance stood up and checked the ship and the others for any signs of damages or injuries. Ryudo and Melfice seemed to be okay. The front part of the ship though was smoking. The Ninja heard a familiar roar and turned around to see their enemy come at them again. This time, the dragon flew above them and landed on the ship. "Bloody hell..." he whispered to himself.  
  
The dragon swung its left clawed arm at Melfice but missed. Instead, it hit the ship and made a big scar on it. "We have to get it off or it's going to destroy the ship!!" Melfice shouted.  
  
The enemy attacked Ryudo with its right arm and caught his left shoulder. The dragon's claws cut into his clothing and slightly tore into his flesh. Ryudo sank on the ground and tried his best not to yell out in pain with his brother around. The dragon snarled and brought its arm in the air to finish him off.  
  
"Ryudo!! I'm coming!!!" Melfice ran towards the enemy and jumped onto its back. Quickly, he plunged his sword into its neck. The dragon howled and tried to shake Melfice off but held onto his sword tightly while he twisted the blade around the wound to inflict more pain.  
  
Ryudo got up and backed away slowly with his right hand on his wounded shoulder to prevent the cut from bleeding. He winced in pain and the next second, he felt no more stabbing pains. "Huh?" He took away his hand and looked at his shoulder, the cut had completely closed. He looked back and realized that Lance just used Alhealer. For once, he was glad to have the Ninja around but there was no way he would say that to anyone.  
  
Melfice withdrew his sword from the dragon and jumped off. He ran back to Ryudo. "Are you all right now?"  
  
Ryudo nudged his head towards Lance. "Yeah, he used a healing spell on me."  
  
Lance walked up to them and looked at their opponent. The dragon panted heavily and blue blood came out of its nostrils. "The wound you inflicted and the poison weakened it. We should finish it off now before it heals itself."  
  
The brothers nodded. The three paused for a moment and then unleashed all of their attacks all at once. "Sky Dragon Slash!!!"  
  
"Evil Horn Attack!!"  
  
"Dark Flare!"  
  
The combination of attacks pushed the intruder off the Granasaber. The dragon screeched as it fell off the ship. Ryudo, Lance, and Melfice looked down, the dragon just kept on spiralling down to crash on the ground. It did not have enough strength to fly back to its enemies.  
  
"Whoo, that was a close one..." Ryudo sighed.  
  
"I wonder how Millenia is doing with the other one?" Melfice asked himself.  
  
***  
  
Millenia dodged a beam from her opponent and retaliated by firing several arrows at it. "Damn!" Most of her shots missed and the ones that connected just hit its left leg. Millenia flapped her wings and flew higher. The dragon went after the red head and roared.  
  
Millenia took out an arrow and kissed its tip. She put it on her bow and aimed. "This may sting a little," she said as she fired the arrow. She hit her opponent on the side. Thick, blue blood trickled down from the wound. The dragon just ignored the injury and continued its pursuit. "Stubborn little bastard," she muttered.  
  
"This is my way of thanking you." She stretched out both of her arms and brought them backwards. A purple, energy ball formed on each of her palms. She then swung both of her arms forward and threw the energy balls at the enemy. There was a big explosion in the sky as the attack met its target.  
  
However, the dragon survived the attack and emerged out of the purple cloud of smoke the explosion created. It snarled angrily and fired beams at its prey mercilessly. Millenia dodged the attacks but barely.  
  
"I can't beat this thing alone," Millenia told herself and headed for the Granasaber. "I just hope the others beat the other one." The dragon followed her while firing beams with its mouth. The dragon attacked so quickly that its lasers got harder for Millenia to dodge. Millenia waved her hand and used Grudging Claws on her pursuer to slow it down and it worked.  
  
Millenia flapped her wings faster to catch up with the Granasaber. A minute ticked by and the red head could make out the Granasaber ahead of her with no beams being fired at her, but not for long. The dragon recovered from Grudging Claws and caught up with her. The giant lizard began its assault again.  
  
Millenia growled to herself after she avoided one of its attacks. "Will this thing ever give up?!!" The red head turned around to counter attack with a DragonZap but was hit before she could cast it. She let out a scream and fell out of the sky. Luckily, she was above the ship when she was hit and Melfice caught her in his arms.  
  
Melfice knelt down and put her on the ground. He cradled her head on his lap and brushed her bangs out of her ruby red eyes. "It's okay now."  
  
"Melfice..." Millenia rasped.  
  
Ryudo and Lance ran to Melfice's side. "Millenia!!" Ryudo cried. "You okay?"  
  
Lance immediately casted Alhealer on the red head. "This will help."  
  
The pain that racked Millenia's body vanished. She broke away from Melfice's hold and stood up. "Here it comes again." She pointed at the dragon that was closing in on them from behind. She glared daggers at the winged lizard and restrained it with Spell Binding Eye.  
  
The dragon just stayed where it was, unable to move. "Now!" Melfice said. Ryudo, Millenia, Lance, and Melfice, respectively, used Hellburner, Dragon Zap, BA-BOOM!, and Meteor Strike on it.  
  
"Stirring fire, cleansing flame!!!!"  
  
"Deep fried goodness!!!"  
  
"Only death awaits you!!"  
  
"This is why you're no good!"  
  
There was a big explosion as the attacks hit the dragon. When all of the debris and smoke cleared, there was nothing left of the dragon. The four sank on the ground and let the wind caress their battered bodies.  
  
"Damn, we... we did it," Millenia panted.  
  
"I thought we were finished..." Ryudo added.  
  
"I've never seen such monsters," Melfice said.  
  
Ryudo stood up. "I've been chased by one of those things before in Raul Hills except the one I encountered couldn't fly."  
  
Melfice got up from the ground. "Those things came from the enemy's base. Do you think that the followers of Granas made them too?"  
  
Millenia put on a quizzical look. "But how?"  
  
Ryudo eyed Lance suspiciously. "That reminds me, you have something to tell us."  
  
"Inside." Lance stood up and walked towards the red sphere at the rear end of the ship. The others followed him. All four of them stepped on the red sphere and warped to the control room.  
  
"Ryudo! Did you defeat the enemy?" Roan asked when the four entered the room.  
  
"What do you think? We wouldn't be here if those things were still out there," Ryudo replied.  
  
Elena looked at the Geohound. "Are you all right Ryudo?"  
  
Ryudo seemed to have missed her question. He nudged his head towards the Ninja. "Hey, Lance here has something to tell us about the Cathedral Knights."  
  
"Oh, that. I almost forgot about that," Tio said.  
  
Everyone took their seats and all of their eyes fell on the turquoise haired Ninja. Lance gave everyone a long and serious look and spoke. "When I infiltrated the enemy's base, I saw people in cages, they were the citizens of St. Heim."  
  
"Did you try to save them?" Ryudo interrupted.  
  
"No. Finding information about the Cathedral Knights was far more important. I found information about the Cathedral Knights on a computer. The Cathedral Knights... they're just mutated people. When Granas was defeated by Valmar long ago, the parts of his body fell on Earth. Church officials couldn't accept or bear that Granas died so they collected his body parts and hid them in that factory and told the public that he's just sleeping from his battle."  
  
"Cathedral Knights are human experiments. Scientists took cells from Granas' body parts and injected them to people, hoping that human cells would incorporate Granas' DNA into their own. The experiment didn't produce a new Granas. Instead, powerful "holy" soldiers were made."  
  
Lance looked at Ryudo. "If you're wondering where scientists get people to experiment on, think about what the elder of Garlan said when the Cathedral Knights came and took away all of the young men from the town. The Cathedral Knights have been around for a very long time, probably since Granas died. Think about all of the people that they experimented on over the thousands of years. And the citizens of St. Heim, are probably going to be mutated into Cathedral Knights too."  
  
Ryudo looked like he got hit by a truckload of bricks. "No way... everyone... everyone got turned into Cathedral Knights...? So... all this time we've been killing innocent people?" 


	15. Tangled Chain

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
"NO WAY!!!" Ryudo refused to believe that the Cathedral Knights used to be people. "I don't believe you, not one bit!!!"  
  
"Believe whatever you want. I know what I saw," Lance countered coldly.  
  
"How do we know you're telling the truth?!" Ryudo asked harshly.  
  
Lance narrowed his eyes at the Geohound. "Hmph. Why won't you go back there and ask your friend Gatta? He would tell you the exact same thing."  
  
"But, I don't think they'll turn all of their prisoners into Cathedral Knights. They'll probably use young men but keep women and children as hostages in case anyone tries anything," Melfice said calmly.  
  
"The young men from Garlan and St. Heim are probably Cathedral Knights by now but we have to save the remaining prisoners," Tio suggested.  
  
"We could, but Gatta would be expecting us next time we try something," Millenia replied.  
  
"What we need is a plan," Roan told everyone.  
  
Ryudo chuckled bitterly. "You actually trust this guy?!" He then turned to Elena who did not speak yet. "What about you Elena? Do you believe him?"  
  
Elena looked into Ryudo's emerald green eyes, they were full of confusion and anger. She then looked away and spoke silently, her voice barely above whisper. "I believe Lance."  
  
Ryudo felt a dagger in his heart. "You too?!!" he shouted.  
  
Elena's face crumpled and Ryudo noticed. "Ryudo..." Elena whimpered.  
  
"Elena... I didn't mean to..." Ryudo tried to apologize but Millenia cut him off.  
  
"Hey!! You didn't have to yell at her!" Millenia scolded.  
  
"Piss off!" Lance snarled under gritted teeth.  
  
Tio gave Ryudo, Millenia, and Lance a stern look. "Please stop it. We do not have time for this."  
  
Roan turned to the Automata. "Hey Tio, you are the opposite of Cathedral Knights, right?"  
  
Tio nodded. "Yes."  
  
Roan put on an inquisitive look. "Do you know how the Automatas were made? Were you mutated into what you are now like the Cathedral Knights? Knowing your origin might give us a clue on how to change Cathedral Knights back to people."  
  
Tio shook her head. "I do not know anything about my origin. The only thing I remember from the past was the war between Granas and Valmar. But... maybe Elmo could tell us. She might know something."  
  
Elena's eyes lit up. "Yes, you are right. We should go to the Birthplace of the Gods."  
  
Millenia frowned. "Wait! Hold your Granasabers!! Isn't the Birthplace of the Gods found around Raul Hills? And isn't the Raul Hills area crawling with monsters? Remember what happened back at the picnic?"  
  
"Maybe we should go to Cyrum first to get more prepared. We could get the Granasaber Ship fixed and upgraded for future uses. Also, I asked Paulk and his knights to investigate Raul Hills so let us see what they have found before we go there," Roan said.  
  
"Everyone is tired too," Melfice added and eyed Ryudo. "...and some need to cool off."  
  
"It is settled then. Our destination is Cyrum," Tio announced.  
  
After that, there was a long, awkward silence in the ship. No one said anything to anyone, they just exchanged looks until they reached Cyrum.  
  
***  
  
Roan sat on his royal chair in his office with Tio, who stood behind him. Paulk stood in front of the Young King's desk to report on his various duties.  
  
"Paulk gather our best engineers. We need the Granasaber Ship repaired and upgraded with weapons," Roan commanded.  
  
"The Granasaber is parked outside Cyrum," Tio added.  
  
Paulk bowed. "Of course your highness. Is there anything else I could do for you?"  
  
"How did the repairs go from the Cathedral Knight's attack and how did your men's scouting mission from Raul Hills go?" Roan asked.  
  
Paulk cleared his throat and spoke. "The repairs are complete, your majesty. Everything went according to plan. As for the scouting mission, my men learned that something drove away the monsters from the ruins, their nesting grounds. I found it hard to believe at first but dragon like creatures were responsible. With the monsters homeless, they have limited feeding and breeding grounds. Most monsters these days are either really weak or dying from starvation."  
  
"Thank you Paulk," Roan smiled. "You may leave now."  
  
"As you command, your highness." Paulk gave Roan a salute and left the office.  
  
Roan sank on his chair. He was glad everything in the city was fixed and back to normal. But as problems are fixed, new ones present themselves. The dragons must be exterminated to return the Raul Hills back to normal, the Granasaber must be fixed, and there are Cathedral Knights, who run around and kill. They could stop the Cathedral Knights for good but that means harming innocent, mindless people. Roan let out an exasperated sigh, for someone his age, there was so much stress on him.  
  
Tio walked over to Roan. "What is wrong?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Roan?"  
  
"Yes Tio?"  
  
"I am a little scared about going to see Elmo tomorrow. I do not know what I will do if I and the other Automatas were made at the cost of innocent lives."  
  
Roan got up from his chair and stood next to Tio. He gave her a smile and put his hand on her shoulder. "I am sure everything will be okay. Do not worry Tio."  
  
***  
  
Lance left Cyrum Castle and went to a hospital. He was in an office talking to a doctor. The doctor sat on his chair behind his desk while Lance stood against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. "So, I heard you'll be here for awhile helping treat people who got injured from the attack."  
  
The doctor nodded and adjusted his eye glasses. "Yes, but after that I'm going back to Liligue Hospital."  
  
Lance chuckled. "Say hi to Doctor Drew for me just in case you get back there before I do."  
  
The doctor shook his head. "Lance, what are you doing out here? Why aren't you back there with her?"  
  
"I'd love to go back Dr. Ray but I have to take care of some things..." Lance replied. "...Cathedral Knights, Nekura, and Elena," he continued mentally.  
  
"Did you find the girl you're searching for? It's Elena, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I found Elena but I'm not going to do anything for now. I'll wait."  
  
"What about the money for her? They won't keep her there if you don't pay them soon."  
  
"I've got your money. I'm going to send it to them this evening. By the way, how is she? Any progress?"  
  
"Still the same."  
  
"What about Konril?"  
  
"They're taking good care of it too."  
  
"Good. Well, I better get going now. I'll see you soon." Lance sighed and left the office. He walked down a corridor with only one thing in his mind. "Rhea... my Rhea, hold on... I'll be there soon."  
  
***  
  
Ryudo stood in a balcony with Skye perched on the railing. The Geohound was confused and frustrated. He refused to believe that the Cathedral Knights used to be people. Deep down though, he knew it was true. Why did things have to turn out like this? First, he lost his parents when he was young, he was exiled from his town and had to work at a young age to survive, Gatta had gone sort of evil, and now some of the people from Garlan were turned into killing machines. He just seemed to be losing almost everything. It was not fair. What was he suppose to do the next time he encounters the Cathedral Knights? He cannot kill them. Ryudo let out a heavy sigh.  
  
Skye watched Ryudo drown in his thoughts. He wondered if the Geohound had finally cool off. "Ryudo, are you okay now?"  
  
Ryudo turned to look at Skye, he looked a bit dazed. "What was that Skye?"  
  
"You okay?"  
  
Ryudo scoffed. "Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better knowing that some of the people I knew and grew up with back in Garlan are now mindless puppets. What am I suppose to do the next time I see them?"  
  
Skye shook his head. "I don't know but I'm sure Roan and Tio will find an alternative on how to deal with them. Elena would be for sure against killing them. Millenia and Melfice probably feel the same as you do. And Lance..."  
  
"...would still kill them." Ryudo cut him off. "That guy doesn't give a damn about anything or anyone, even us."  
  
"You know, he seems to like Elena. She's the only one that he really talks with. Elena sort of likes him too."  
  
"I noticed too." A scowl formed on Ryudo's face. "I don't see why Elena would even come close to that guy."  
  
Skye saw Elena coming. "Speaking of which... I'll see you later Ryudo." Skye spread out his wings and took off.  
  
Elena entered the balcony and smiled at the Geohound. "Hi Ryudo."  
  
"Elena? What are you doing here?" Ryudo asked.  
  
She stood next to him. "Why? Can I not come here too? I just came here to watch the sunset!" There was a bit of bitterness in her voice. She loved Ryudo very much and it hurt that he was pushing her away. She knew Ryudo has things to take care of before she could tell him her feelings. But she wants to help him as a friend in his journey but Ryudo would have none of it.  
  
Ryudo ignored her tone. "Elena, will you still fight the Cathedral Knights?"  
  
Elena clasped her hands together on her chest sadly. "I do not know... I cannot harm innocent people."  
  
"Same here," Ryudo said.  
  
"I just hope we learn something from Elmo tomorrow."  
  
"Elena... about tomorrow..."  
  
"Do not ask Ryudo. I will go to the Birthplace of the Gods tomorrow with you." Elena turned around to leave, her back facing the Geohound. A small tear escaped her ruby red eye and flowed down her cheek. "I will stand by your side Ryudo no matter what," she thought and left.  
  
***  
  
Millenia walked down a sidewalk. She got bored back in the castle so she decided to stroll around. As she walked around, she saw people in the streets. They were all busy, each doing his or her own thing. Most of them were probably content and peaceful with their lives. But how long will that last? What if Gatta and the Cathedral Knights came to take them away? Would she have the heart to stop them? Would she try...  
  
Millenia mentally kicked herself and laughed silently. She used to be the Wings of Valmar and that the only thing she wanted was to devour the other pieces whether it was the cost of a little girl's life or a fat slob's. Journeying with Ryudo changed all of that. She learned to care, she learned to love, she learned how to be human. In some obscure way, it felt great until Ryudo's rejection. It hurt not to be wanted and she wanted to get rid of the pain. She wanted to be back to her cold, unfeeling, selfish old self so she would become immuned to emotions like pain as before. But she could not, she tried to change back but failed miserably. The crack on the wall between herself and her emotions that Ryudo and the others made was too deep.  
  
Millenia sighed. She hoped that the pain would stop soon. "It has too..." she said to herself and turned around to go back to Cyrum Castle. Little did she know that two men followed her the whole time.  
  
The red head decided to take a quick short cut by cutting through a park. The park was quiet and empty like something bad was bound to happen as in movies. Millenia decided to take a break and sat down on a swing. She looked up to the darkening sky and wondered about what Roan and Tio told her before; will she ever find the right man for her? Millenia just scoffed at the thought. If she did find the right guy, he would probably just leave her like Ryudo did. No, she would rather be alone rather than get hurt again.  
  
Millenia stood up to leave. She then heard a crackling noise from behind. She turned around and looked at her surroundings carefully. "It was probably a Carro or something," she thought and turned back around. Before she could take a step forward, a pair of strong arms seized her from behind. She let out a gasp and her body shivered as she was roughly kissed on her neck.  
  
"Hey, how about you and I get comfortable somewhere?" the man behind her purred.  
  
Millenia snarled. "Piss off!!" She stomped on the man's foot and elbowed him on the stomach. The man groaned in pain and loosened his grip. Millenia broke away free from his hold and ran a few steps. She turned around to face the intruder and raised her arm in the air for a Spell Binding Eye. Before she could use her technique, another man from behind pushed her down to the ground. Millenia fell on her stomach.  
  
The man bent down to the ground and rolled Millenia onto her back. He climbed on top of her and pinned her down. His legs were on top of hers and his left hand held both of her arms above her head. Millenia could not move, all she could do was squirm under her assailant. The man chuckled and ran his free hand up and down her hip.  
  
"Let go of me!!! Get off you son of a bitch!!!" Millenia screamed.  
  
"Damn, you're hot and feisty!" the man laughed and kissed her forcefully on the lips. The man was about to reach with his free hand into her orange yellow, semi transparent skirt but a powerful hand grabbed the back of his neck and raised him in the air.  
  
Melfice gave the man an ice cold glare and punched him on the face, sending him flying to a tree nearby. "Bastard!"  
  
Millenia groaned in disgust and wiped the man's saliva away from her lips. "Shit! Gross!!" Infuriated, she got up from the ground and ran up to the man. He was about to get up but she kicked him on the face. The man fell back on the ground on his back. Millenia brought her right foot forward and stomped the area between the man's thighs. She stomped it again and crushed the man's most private spot with the heel of her shoe. "I bet you like this you pig!!"  
  
The other man ran to his friend's side and helped him get up. "You're going to die bitch!!" he growled as he drew out a knife.  
  
"Get away from her!!" Melfice shouted as he came running towards them with his Cardinal Blade.  
  
The two looked at Melfice and realized who they were messing with. "It's the Demon Man!!" the two gasped and cursed at themselves. "Let's get the hell out of here!!" The men backed away and then bolted out of the park.  
  
Millenia sighed to herself, her anger and rage drained out of her body. She hugged herself and started to tremble. Those men followed her around and she did not notice because she was lost in her thoughts. Those men were going to rape her, use her for their sick, twisted, and sexual pleasures. Millenia felt like dirt, the lowest animal on the planet, a toy. She could not believe what just happened.  
  
Melfice sheathed his sword and walked up to Millenia. He stood behind her. "Millenia, are you okay?"  
  
Millenia did not answer.  
  
"Millenia?"  
  
The red head turned around to face Melfice. Her ruby red eyes sparkled as if tears threatened to flood them. Her body and her lips shivered. "Melfice... I..." Millenia did not know what to say and did not feel anything else except that she felt dirty and used. Overwhelmed with the past events, Millenia mindlessly threw herself at Melfice and hugged him tightly. Quiet sobs escaped her lips and rivers of tears flowed down her cheeks. "They... they... were... going to..."  
  
Melfice was a bit surprised. Slowly, he wrapped his left arm around her waist. He then pat her back with his right hand. "It's all right," he whispered gently and brought her closer to him.  
  
"I... I... just..." Millenia looked up to his emerald green eyes and shook her head.  
  
Melfice wiped her tears away and embraced her tighter to stop her from shivering. He smiled weakly and returned her gaze. Millenia put her head on his shoulder and the tears that Melfice wiped away were replaced by another stream. Melfice sighed heavily and rested his head on top of hers. "Don't worry, I'm here." 


	16. Still In The Dark

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Sixteen  
  
Elena hurried out of the balcony as more tears ran down her cheeks. She ran down a hall way, then the stairs, and finally went to Cyrum Castle's beautiful garden. She went to the spot where she and Ryudo first met after such a long time, the bench by the huge water fountain. Elena sat down on the bench and wiped her tears away.  
  
Elena wanted to be with Ryudo. He is so close, yet so far. Their obligations to fight make it impossible for them to take their friendship one step further. She was okay with that though, she could always wait. But now, Ryudo is pushing her away as a friend and it was gnawing her heart out. Elena was frustrated, she did not know what to do anymore. Should she move on with a new man? Should she still wait for Ryudo? Or maybe just stay the hell out of Ryudo's way? Elena clasped her hands together on her aching heart and watched the water fountain. "Why do things always have to be like this?"  
  
"Hey," a voice from behind said.  
  
Elena's body tensed nervously and turned around to see Lance without his mask on. She sighed in relief for it was just the Ninja, not someone else. "Hi," she smiled weakly.  
  
Lance walked over to her and stood next to her. He paused and studied her expression. "What's wrong? You look upset."  
  
Elena looked up to the Ninja. As usual, his face had its cold and emotionless look. She wondered if his expression ever changed. "Lance... had you ever fallen in love?"  
  
The question caught Lance in surprise but he did not let it show. He paused for a moment to think of an answer. Elena waited patiently. Lance then chuckled weakly. "Yes, once."  
  
"Did... did the Cathedral Knights take her away from you too?"  
  
Lance sighed. "Yes, they did."  
  
"Who was she? What was her..."  
  
Lance cut Elena off. "You know, back at Garlan, I noticed something..." he said.  
  
Elena put on a disappointed look. "Noticed what?"  
  
The Ninja put on an inquisitive look. "When we fought "him" you had angel wings. Normal people don't have them. Why do you have them? And for how long did you have them?"  
  
"I do not know... I must have possessed them ever since I was a child but I did not know I had them since about a year ago. And back at Garlan, they sprouted again when this... this uncontrollable power surged through my body."  
  
"That was a magnificent display of power Elena."  
  
"I cannot control my powers. I only did what I had to do. I just knew... I just could not let "him" hurt Ryudo."  
  
"I see. You really care about him, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, the two of us are very close friends."  
  
"But you want the two of you to be more than that."  
  
Elena blushed a bit. "Ye... yes. But I cannot see that happening soon."  
  
Lance nodded. "I noticed. That's what is bothering you, isn't it?"  
  
Elena felt the sting of tears again. "Ryudo had been pushing me away lately... Lance I do not know what to do anymore..."  
  
Lance put his hand on her shoulder. "Do you really love him... is he the one?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
The Ninja let out a sigh. "Look, there's nothing you can do for now. You can only wait. If Ryudo feels the same, he'll come to you when everything is over. Right now, just stay out of his way, he's going through a tough time." With that, Lance withdrew his hand and walked away.  
  
Elena watched Lance leave. "Thank you for listening and for the advice..." she whispered to herself.  
  
***  
  
The sun finally went down and the group gathered in the royal dining room. There was a big round table with food in the middle of the room. Two guards stood at the entrance should Roan need anything. Roan looked around. Everyone came and took their seats, except Millenia. The red head was no where to be seen. "Say, where is Miss Millenia?" the Young King asked.  
  
"She said... she's not hungry," Melfice replied. "She's in her room."  
  
"Well, she should be here anyway. Are we not here also to discuss our next course of actions?" Tio said.  
  
"Don't worry about Millenia. I'll just fill her in with the details later," Melfice answered.  
  
Ryudo took a sip from his cup of orange juice. "So, tomorrow we're leaving for the Birthplace of the Gods to meet Elmo. Do you guys really think we could learn something about the Cathedral Knights back there?"  
  
"Maybe... but I also want to learn about my origin," Tio said.  
  
"It is worth a try, we have nothing to lose," Roan added. "If we do not find anything though, I am sure we will figure some thing out."  
  
"How long will it take us to get there?" Elena asked.  
  
"About half a day," Skye replied.  
  
Roan laughed a bit. "The Granasaber Ship will not be ready for awhile. The repairs and the upgrading are going to take longer than I thought."  
  
"Oh well... at least once it's fixed, it'll help us fight and we can travel more freely," Melfice remarked.  
  
Roan cleared his throat. "Ryudo... may I ask you something?"  
  
"Go right ahead... shoot," Ryudo said.  
  
"What are we going to do should the Cathedral Knights attack us?" Roan questioned.  
  
Ryudo shook his head. "I don't know... I really don't know..."  
  
"Since we're having a discussion now, I think it's worth mentioning now..." Skye began.  
  
Melfice raised an eyebrow. "Mention what?"  
  
"Back in Garlan, we were attacked by this very powerful man. That's why we came here in the first place, to warn you about him," Skye continued.  
  
Tio frowned. "Do you know who he was?"  
  
"No, the only thing we could say is that he had the crest of Valmar at the back of his shirt," Elena replied.  
  
"Just what is happening to the world?" Melfice whispered to himself.  
  
Lance, although he had been silent the whole time, listened to every single word the others said. His ruby red eyes travelled from one person to the other. "Nekura... why do you have the crest of Valmar?" he thought.  
  
"Whoever that person is will show himself sooner or later," Ryudo said.  
  
"Yes, you are right. The only thing we could do now is hope for the best and wait," Roan agreed.  
  
After awhile, Melfice finished his meal and stood up from his chair. "Thanks for the meal Roan."  
  
"Oh, it was nothing," Roan smiled.  
  
"I'm going for a walk. See you guys later," Melfice said and left the dining room.  
  
***  
  
Melfice entered the garden and let out a relaxed sigh as the gentle, night breeze caressed his face. He had planned on sparring with himself in the garden but all of that changed when he saw Millenia, who sat on a bench and stared at the water fountain as if she was in deep thought. He stopped on his tracks and could not help but let his eyes wander up and down her slender form.  
  
Ever since he met Millenia, he found himself being drawn to her more and more. Millenia was not like most of the women he had met in his life. She was beautiful. He liked the way her long, soft, red hair flow in the breeze. Her ruby red eyes shone like the stars whenever she was angry. Her body was slender and had the right curves in the right places. She looked magnificent, fragile, and yet deadly like a rose with thorns.  
  
On the outside, she was selfish, short tempered, and capricious. However, on the inside, in her own Millenia way, she was really a gentle, kind, and a good hearted woman that was plagued with loneliness and pain. Melfice knew her burden. He too was lonely and also rejected by society, just like her. He could feel her pain and she could feel his.  
  
Melfice finished his thoughts and looked at Millenia again. She looked miserable after what just happened to her, she was still in shock. He wanted to go up to her and comfort her. But he did not know exactly how to approach her. After his thoughts, he felt soft and mushy on the inside and also somewhat nervous.  
  
Melfice let out a sigh as he watched Millenia get up, spread out her black wings, and fly towards the night sky. "Millenia..." he thought. He then turned around as he heard a crackling noise to see Ryudo with a grin on his face.  
  
Ryudo crossed his arms over his chest and a mischievous smile crept across his lips. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Millenia is more than a friend to you now."  
  
Melfice frowned innocently. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Don't play dumb. Did you make any moves yet?"  
  
"No... I mean, I'm not even sure about how I feel."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Reena, Ryudo. What if I end up hurting or killing Millenia like what I did to Reena?"  
  
"Melfice, you won't go mad again. Valmar is dead."  
  
"It's not Valmar I'm concerned about."  
  
"It's about you being in that tank, isn't it?"  
  
Melfice nodded. "Yeah, that's right."  
  
"Melfice, I don't think..."  
  
Melfice cut his brother off. "Ryudo, do you have any regrets about finding me?"  
  
"No... what are you saying? What's gotten into you? Did a giant frying pan fall on your head or what?"  
  
"I'm sorry I let myself get possessed by Valmar. I'm sorry I ruined your life. Knowing that has been eating me alive. I feel so ashamed and feel like I should hate myself for causing you so much pain."  
  
Ryudo walked up to Melfice. He gave him a brotherly look and a pat on the shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. I forgave you a long time ago. The only thing that matters now is that we're a family again."  
  
Melfice let out a sigh as he felt his heart and shoulders lighten a bit from burden. "Yeah... I'm glad we're a family again."  
  
***  
  
Back at the Granas Base, Gatta paced around a hall. He was about to report to Cardinal Uru, the man that continued the production of the Cathedral Knights. He was going to report to him about the damages done by Ryudo and his friends and he was planning in his head about what he should say.  
  
After awhile, Gatta sighed and entered the door in front of him. He took a respectful bow as he saw Cardinal Uru on his chair. "Gatta, reporting sir."  
  
Cardinal Uru crossed his arms over his chest. "How much damage did the intruders do?"  
  
A bead of sweat ran down Gatta's forehead. "Sir, the damages done are being repaired. The main explosion from the attack came from one of our main data banks. The data bank suffered severe damage and most of our data was lost."  
  
"Exactly what kind of data?"  
  
"Data about Cathedral Knights, Sir. Cardinal, our data to produce Cathedral Knights was destroyed."  
  
Uru's voice rose a notch. "First you let the enemy attack us, destroy our data, let our prisoners escape, and steal our Granasaber Ship and now you are telling me that we cannot make anymore Cathedral Knights?!!! **INCOMPETENCE**!!!" Uru nastily grabbed a pencil from his desk and threw it at Gatta, a bit feebly due to his old age. "How can we purify and restore Light back to this world without the Cathedral Knights?"  
  
"Sir, please forgive my mistakes. It will not happen again, I assure you. We still have about fifty Cathedral Knights and I don't think Ryudo and his friends would kill anymore of them."  
  
"Yes, you are quite right. If those idiots discovered what the Cathedral Knights really are, they will not slay anymore of them."  
  
"Sir, what are we going to do with the rest of the prisoners?"  
  
"Keep them around, we can use them as a shield should the enemy attack again. You are dismissed."  
  
"Thank you. Good day to you, Sir..." Gatta took a bow and left the office. "...and enjoy them while you still can," he chuckled mentally as he walked down the hall.  
  
***  
  
Nekura sat down on the ground, in front of a bonfire. A day had passed since the fight from Garlan. His wounds, cuts, and broken bones have healed, thanks to the power of Valmar.  
  
"So... it's true about what I've heard about Garlan. Garlan... the town of the most talented swordsmen in the world. I must admit that Geohound was certainly strong. However, he's the least of my worries. That girl, the one with angel wings, she'd be a problem in the future if she learns to control her powers. Then, there's also that Ninja with black wings. Who knows what's he's capable of?"  
  
Nekura narrowed his eyes at the bonfire. "That Ninja... he looks very familiar. I've met him before... but where? It feels like I've known him for a long time..."  
  
Nekura laughed psychotically. "It doesn't matter who he is. I'm going to kill him, that girl, and everyone else. I'm going to plunge this world back into darkness..." 


	17. Project TIO

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Seventeen  
  
Ryudo and company stood outside the gates of the Birthplace of the Gods. "Well, here we are," the Geohound announced.  
  
Elena giggled in her mind. "This place brings back memories."  
  
Lance looked around the place for any signs of danger. "Hmm... no monsters around here, or Cathedral Knights or Nekura... at least for now," he thought.  
  
"I wonder what's inside," Melfice told himself mentally.  
  
Roan turned to the Automata. "Are you ready Tio?"  
  
Tio nodded. "Yes... but I am a bit nervous."  
  
Millenia put her hands on her hips. "Hey people, are we ever going to go inside or did we just come here to look at scenery?"  
  
Skye laughed a bit. "We better do what she says before she goes hay wire."  
  
"Right... we don't want her highness hurling magic spells at us, now do we?" Ryudo added and opened the gate.  
  
"Oh shut up!" Millenia snarled.  
  
The group entered the Birthplace of the Gods and were soon in shock as they looked around. The whole place was a mess. The walls had claw marks, holes, and blood stains on them. The ceiling was cracked and sizzling wires hung from them. There was rubble and a rotting Death Doberman carcass on a corner.  
  
Roan looked distressed. "What happened here?"  
  
Ryudo nudged his head towards the claw marks on the walls. "Check those out. Monsters did this."  
  
Melfice observed the holes on the walls. "What about those holes? Those ones look like they were made from energy blasts."  
  
"It cannot be just monsters that could have done this," Elena said.  
  
"Interesting..." Lance thought.  
  
"Stay alert everyone," Skye instructed.  
  
"Ewww... this place stinks. This better be quick," Millenia complained.  
  
"Elmo... I wonder if Elmo is all right. We must hurry everyone," Tio suggested.  
  
"Right. Let's go," Ryudo nodded. The group walked down a wide corridor with their weapons ready for use.  
  
Melfice heard a moving sound in the air. "Hold it! I think we're not alone anymore."  
  
Roan looked to his left. To his left was an adjacent corridor. The corridor was dark and bright red eyes watched them from the shadows. "I think you are right."  
  
"Look out!" Tio cried as she looked up. An Emerald Bird was headed straight towards them. The group dove to safety just in time to avoid its sharp talons.  
  
"Here comes its friends," Millenia said as two Yetis and two Death Dobermans emerged from the adjacent corridor.  
  
Elena heard bones rattling from behind. "That sound... I know that sound." Three Ancient Warriors stepped out from another hallway with their swords.  
  
One of the Dobermans strode towards Tio and it circled around her as if it were sizing her. The Doberman growled and jumped forward. Tio side stepped the attack in time to avoid the animal's powerful jaws. The Doberman recovered from its attack and raised its head in the air. It howled like a wolf and casted a Howlslash at Tio. The Automata did not dodge the attack this time and was knocked off the floor.  
  
The Doberman let out a growl of satisfaction and ran towards its soon to be meal. Tio groaned and opened her eyes to see that the Doberman pounced and was about to land on her. Quickly, she sat up and threw a Lotus Flower at it and dispatched it in mid air. "Whew... close one..." Tio sighed in relief.  
  
Lance back flipped away from the Ancient Warrior he fought as it stretched out its sword and spun around with it. Lance put his right arm forward and fire emerged from his palm. "DARK FLARE!" the Ninja said and a big ball of flame flew out of his right palm. The attack hit the Ancient Warrior and it stopped doing its Beat Spiral.  
  
Lance dashed towards his enemy with his Falchion held forward by both hands. He then slashed upwards with his katana but the Ancient Warrior blocked it with its sword. The bone creature reared back and thrusted its sword forwards multiple times. Lance blocked each attack with the Falchion. The Ancient Warrior then paused for a second and made another thrust but stronger. The Ninja blocked the attack yet again but the blow knocked him off the floor.  
  
The Ancient Warrior raised its sword in the air to finish the Ninja off. Lance looked up from the floor and rolled away just in time to avoid the Warrior's sword. Lance stood up and back flipped away until he was at a safe distance. Lance raised the Falchion straight above him into the air with both hands. The Falchion's blade glowed with a blue aura and the Ninja then slashed downwards. "GET READY! DARK SLASH!" He then swept it downwards and fired a dark blue, crescent projectile at his opponent. The monster fell on the ground and before it could get up, the Ninja finished it off with a Hellburner. "Hmph... that takes care of that."  
  
Roan casted a Crackle spell at a Yeti but missed. The Yeti let out a growl and pounded its chest with its powerful arms. The Yeti snarled and ran straight towards the Young King. "Here it comes." Roan dashed towards his enemy and slashed with the Gladius. The Yeti dodged the attack and countered with a powerful punch. The punch hit Roan on the side of his head and the attack sent him crashing to a wall.  
  
The Yeti narrowed its eyes at Roan. He was still breathing but did not get up. With a low grunt, it stalked off to knock out the other humans. When all of the humans are unconscious, a big feast begins.  
  
Elena whacked the other Death Doberman on the head with her Guardian Staff. The Doberman let out a whine and backed away. The Doberman hissed and circled around Elena slowly. It then pounced on her and pinned her down to the floor. Elena dropped her staff as she fell on her back. The Doberman tried to bite her head off but she caught its muzzle with her hands and forced its mouth shut. Elena let out a shriek.  
  
Ryudo turned towards the source of the shriek and saw Elena about to be monster food. "ELENA!!" he yelled and ran towards her but an Ancient Warrior barred his path. "Out of my way!!" he growled and slashed with the Granasaber but his attack was blocked.  
  
Saliva trickled down to Elena's shirt from the Doberman's jaws. The Doberman shook its head sideways in an attempt to free itself from Elena's grip and it was working. "Ryudo!!! Anyone!!! Help!!!"  
  
"Elena..." Lance whispered to himself. Before the Ninja could take another step, he fell on the floor as the Yeti that just knocked out Roan attacked him from behind. The Yeti picked up the Ninja from the floor and restrained him in a bear hug. The Yeti had its arms wrapped around Lance tightly and squeezed the air out of him. "I can't breathe... someone save Elena..." he rasped.  
  
Ryudo looked around while he parried his opponent's attacks. Roan was unconscious. Melfice was engaged in a sword fight with the other Ancient Warrior while Millenia and Tio fought the other Yeti. Lance was also in trouble. "Shit!!! Elena, hold on!!!" Ryudo thrusted the Granasaber forward but his attack was blocked again. "I have to save Elena."  
  
"Get ready, Ryudo!" Skye said as he dove at the Ancient Warrior from behind and held onto its back with his talons. Skye flapped his wings faster and started to lift the Warrior off the floor. When the two of them were six feet above the floor, Skye dropped the Warrior.  
  
Ryudo smirked and reared back with the Granasaber Sword. "Pay back time!" he hissed and swung his sword upwards at the Warrior before it hit the ground. The bone monster fell on the floor in half, in front of Ryudo. The Geohound kicked the monster's remains out of his way and rushed towards Elena.  
  
"Get the hell away from her!!" Ryudo roared and kicked the Doberman off of Elena. The Doberman flew towards a corner and let out a whine. The Geohound put his left hand forward and finished the monster off with a Gad Zap.  
  
"Ryudo, Elena, look out!" Skye cried.  
  
Ryudo looked up and saw the Emerald Bird cast a Crackle spell at them. "Shit!!" He got down to the ground quickly and shielded Elena's body with his. The ice attack missed them but barely. Ryudo heard a faint humming sound and looked at the Emerald Bird. Its wings glowed in green. The Emerald Bird let out a screech, swung its wings forward, and fired several, sharp emerald crystals.  
  
Ryudo picked up Elena and wrapped his arms around her. The two rolled away on the floor just in time to avoid the crystals. The Emerald Bird fired more crystals but the two kept rolling. The two stopped rolling as the Bird ceased its assault. Ryudo got off Elena and hurled a Burn! at the Bird. The Bird let out a pained screech and staggered a bit.  
  
Elena rose from the floor and picked up her staff. She took out an Impact Bomb and threw it at the Emerald Bird. The bomb blew up on the Bird's face. The flying monster crashed down to the floor and did not get up again.  
  
"This is my ultimate attack..." Melfice rushed at the last Ancient Warrior and slashed it with the Cardinal Blade. He then split into two images and attacked again. After that, he split into three and struck the enemy. "...the Wailing Soul Slash!!!" The blow sent the enemy flying upwards. Melfice split into four images and went after the enemy in the air. He attacked yet again and landed back to the ground gracefully. "DIE!!!" He then held his sword out to give his victim another blow as it came crashing back to the ground. The Ancient Warrior let out a cry of pain and collapsed on the floor. "I can't believe it's dead already..."  
  
Lance dropped his katana onto the ground as he started to lose his strength from the lack of air. He was still caught in the Yeti's bear hug. "Damn... I can't die... not yet..."  
  
Roan slowly opened his eyes and stood up. He saw the Yeti that just knocked him out was about to kill Lance. "Hold on!" he cried and picked up his Gladius from the floor. Roan ran towards the Yeti and stabbed its back.  
  
The Yeti roared in pain and dropped Lance onto the floor. The monster turned around to see Roan back on his feet and ready for another round.  
  
Lance gasped and panted heavily for air as he managed to get up from the ground. The Ninja picked up the Falchion from the floor and moved away slowly.  
  
The Yeti threw a punch at Roan but he managed to dodge it. Roan hopped backwards and threw a Golden Hammer at the brown gorilla. The monster was hit on the head and grunted unintelligently. Roan held his Gladius downwards with both hands. Spikes of ice appeared behind him and flew towards the Yeti. "Chill out!!" he said as the ice spikes trapped and froze the Yeti. He ran towards the Yeti, spun around, and swung his Gladius at it. "Ice Prison!!" The ice and Yeti both shattered like glass. Roan sank on the ground on his knees and panted heavily. "Ugh... that was close."  
  
Tio threw a Lotus Flower at the other Yeti but missed. The Yeti walked towards Millenia. The red head groaned in annoyance and put her hand forward. "You know what, I've just had enough of you!" she growled and hurled a Burn! at the monster but it was not enough to finish it off. Millenia sprouted her black wings and casted a Starving Tongue at the monster to drain its energy and use it to replace what she lost. The monster fell on its knees as its stamina was stolen. Millenia put on a crafty smile and used a Zap! on the Yeti. "Deep fried goodness!!" The monster whined and fell on the ground on its back.  
  
The group gathered around as they defeated all of the monsters. "Is everyone all right?" Ryudo asked.  
  
The others nodded their heads unison. "We are okay. We must hurry to Elmo," Tio replied.  
  
The group continued their journey to the third level of the Birthplace of the Gods. It took them quite a while to get there with monsters that attacked them here and there. Ryudo and company stood in front of the power room's door. "This is it," Ryudo told everyone and entered through the door with everyone behind him.  
  
Tio gasped softly as her amber yellow eyes travelled around the room. The room was in ruins just like the rest of the place. "Who... who would do some thing like this?" she asked herself. The Automata looked around the room to search for Elmo. Elmo was not attached to the wall where they first met her. She lay on the floor and she was seriously injured. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were shut, and half of her face was covered with bloody scratches.  
  
"ELMO!!" Tio cried as she ran to her. The Android knelt down next to Elmo. "Elmo!! Elmo!! Please answer me!!"  
  
Elmo let out a soft moan escape her lips. "Ti... Tio? Is that you?"  
  
Tio felt horrible to see Elmo in such a bad condition. Her new found heart ache with pain and small tears flowed down her cheeks from her amber yellow eyes. "Yes... it is I."  
  
"It is dangerous.... "he" might come here again... and destroy all of you... What... are you doing here...?"  
  
"We came to ask you about my origin..." Tio answered.  
  
"The Automatas' origin? Very well..." Elmo's antennas sparkled and shot a small, ball of blue light at Tio's. "Tio... I am glad I could help you once again... good bye..." Elmo rasped and her world faded away, permanently.  
  
Tio shook Elmo's body frantically as more tears ran down her cheeks and soft sobs escaped her lips. "Elmo!! Elmo!!! Please open your eyes again!!! Do not die... Elmo!!!"  
  
Ryudo and the others stood by the door and watched Tio wept. "Elmo... she's gone..." Ryudo whispered to himself.  
  
Roan walked up to Tio and stood next to her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a sympatheic look. "Tio, I am very sorry."  
  
"It is horrible Roan..." Tio said quietly.  
  
"What did Elmo say? What did she give you?" Roan asked.  
  
"Information..." Tio sniffed.  
  
Ryudo strode towards the Automata with the others behind him. "Did she tell you who did this?"  
  
Tio stood up and wiped her tears away. "Yes... she did." Tio took a few steps forward and searched her mind, her data banks. Her antennas sparkled and shot a ball of yellow light towards the center of the room. The ball vanished and a big white screen appeared at the center of the room. The screen was static for a few seconds and then it started to play...  
  
***  
  
Elmo hung on the wall peacefully. Everything in the Birthplace of the Gods was fine and quiet as usual. But then, the door slid open and a young man in a purple ninja gi entered the room, Nekura.  
  
"YES!! YES!!! I've found it!!! The power... it's all mine!!!" Nekura cackled and walked around the room.  
  
"What is your business here stranger?" Elmo asked.  
  
Nekura ignored the Automata on the wall and laughed. "The Birthplace of the Gods... This is the place where Granas and Valmar ascended as Gods!! ...and now I shall become a God myself... a God of destruction!!!" Nekura unsheathed his katana and walked towards Elmo. "Tell me, how do I get the machine to work?!! Now!!!"  
  
"You have no authorization to run the machine, please leave," Elmo answered.  
  
"You better do what I say unless you want to end up as a pile of heap!!" Nekura snarled.  
  
"You have been warned once, I will not warn you again. Activating defense system.... aaahhhh!!"  
  
Nekura had casted a Gad Zap on Elmo for her incooperative behaviour. "Who needs you? I'll do this myself!!" The psychotice ninja strode towards a computer terminal and started to type on the keyboard.  
  
"St... stop... you are making a mistake..." Elmo rasped.  
  
"Shut up bitch!!" Nekura roared and hurled a stronger Gad Zap spell at the Android.  
  
"EAAYYYGGGHHH!!" Elmo screeched as lightning fried every single circuit in her body. The lower part of Elmo's body blew up. She fell off the wall and crashed down to the ground. "Please... stop..." Elmo pleaded and her world turned black as energy drained out of her body.  
  
"That's better," Nekura smirked at the fallen Elmo and continued to hack on the computer. He was a Ninja and like Lance, computer hacking was one of his many talents. "BWAHAHAHH HAAA!! I did it!! I did it!!! It's only a matter of time!!!"  
  
Nekura walked towards the center of the room and stood there. "Begin Ascension!!" he commanded at the system. The computers in the room powered up and glowed. Nekura was soon engulfed in a purple light. "YES!! YES!!! I feel it!! I feel the power!!!" he exclaimed triumphantly as he felt enormous amounts of power surge through his body.  
  
The computers then powered down and the purple light around the Ninja vanished. Nekura flexed his arms and looked at his palms. With an evil grin, he put his right arm forward and fired several beams at the computers. "There... no one else can be a God now...."  
  
***  
  
The screen went fuzzy but the voice of Nekura, explosions, and beams fired could be heard. The group heard Nekura cackle once more and the screen went blank. "Is he not the man that attacked us back from Garlan?" Elena asked.  
  
Ryudo nodded. "It's him all right and it looks like he received powers like Valmar's from this place."  
  
"Nekura... a God? I find this hard to believe..." Lance thought.  
  
"Well, now at least we know something about the psycho that attacked you guys, " Millenia scoffed.  
  
Roan turned to Tio. The Automata had stopped crying and had calmed down a bit. "Tio... did Elmo give you anything else?"  
  
"Did she give you any information about the Cathedral Knights?" Melfice inquired.  
  
Tio shook her head slowly. "No... just about "him" and my past." Fresh tears came out of Tio's amber yellow eyes. She let out another sob and ran out of the room.  
  
"Tio!" Roan called after her.  
  
"Let her go. She's confused and overwhelmed... give her time to think," Skye said.  
  
"Please be okay Tio," Roan whispered to himself.  
  
***  
  
Tio ran away from her friends. She did not want to be seen crying herself out. But, she could not help it. The loss of Elmo and her new found knowledge about her past hurt, a lot. Tio replayed some of her memories and Elmo's in her head as she ran down a hallway.  
  
---  
In the middle of a beautiful meadow was a little house. A little girl with blue hair and amber yellow eyes and her mother were at the backyard. Tio ran to her mother. The mother sat on a chair while she made a cross stitch of an Orca. "Tio, what's wrong?" the mother asked as she sensed that her little daughter started to get excite about something.  
  
"Mom, I saw a butteryfly, it looked so beautiful. Can I catch it and then keep it? Can I?" Tio replied hyper actively.  
  
"No dear, butterflies belong out here, not with humans."  
  
Tio pouted a bit. "Oh... Well, can I at least watch it?"  
  
"Sure you can. Just don't wander off too far, okay?"  
  
"Okay, mom." The five year old Tio giggled a bit in excitement and left to follow the butterfly she saw earlier.  
  
Tio found the butterfly on a Bleeding Hearts and watched in pure curiousity as the insect fed off the flower's nectar. After awhile, the butterfly finished its meal and took off. Tio looked up and stared at the beautiful markings on the insect's wings. She was fixated by them and started to follow the insect. The butterfly kept flying and Tio kept following and did not even notice that she wandered out of the backyard and into the open meadow. Soon, Tio ended up in the woods and there she finally noticed that she was not in the right place.  
  
"Uh oh, I better get back," Tio told herself. The child turned around and saw a man in front of her.  
  
"Hello little girl, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I... I was just following a butterfly..." Tio said.  
  
"A butterfly? You know, if you come with me, I can show you more."  
  
"No thank you. I should be going now." Tio took a step forward to leave but the man blocked her path.  
  
"The butterflies are really... nice. Come with little girl... I INSIST."  
---  
Tio sat in a corner of a cage. The man from the woods had taken her against her wishes. Her hands were on her face to cover the tears that flooded her eyes. "I... do not like this place... I want to go home..." Tio sobbed. The child felt so alone, so powerless in the cage. She wanted to go home to her parents for she missed them dearly and their loving embrace. Tio heard the door open and looked up to see who it was. It was the man that kidnapped her.  
  
"I want to go home," Tio whined.  
  
"You're not going anywhere," he chuckled and walked over to her. "Say little girl, what's your name?"  
  
"Tio."  
  
"Tio... well then, I guess we're calling the operation 'Project Tio'," the man told himself.  
  
"What are you going to do to me?!"  
  
"You'll find out soon. You're going to make a difference. With time and technology, you're going to help the people of Cyrum crush those Granas worshippers." The man bent down a bit and grabbed Tio's arm.  
  
"Let me go!!! Let go of me!!!" Tio screeched as the man dragged her away from her cage.  
---  
A thirteen year old Tio lay on a table in a lab. Her waist was strapped and her arms and legs were shackled so she could not move at all. Two scientists in lab coats stood next to her. "What are you going to do to me now?" she asked.  
  
"Today... you become a soldier of Valmar," one of the scientists answered.  
  
The other man took out a syringe with a yellow liquid in it. "This will hurt a bit," he snickered and injected the substance into Tio's right arm.  
  
Tio moaned and her world darkened. She fell into a deep sleep while the scientists began "Project Tio."  
  
A few hours had passed and Tio woke up from her sleep. She felt strange... she felt nothing. No emotions. She sat up from the table and looked around the lab. Where was she? How did she end up in the lab? She could not remember anything that happened in the past. She did not even know who she was. Tio did not know what to do. She did not know if she should wait for someone to come to her or leave. She needed commands.  
---  
In the Birthplace of the Gods, at the main room, two scientists reported to a man dressed in royal clothing, the King of Cyrum. Elmo was also there, she hung on the wall and watched the discussion. "How did the operation go?" the King demanded.  
  
"Your highness, it was successful. We were able to replace most of the girl's body with machine parts. We have created an Automata, a super soldier. Tio is far superior to our human soldiers. She needs less food and rest. She is also a skilled fighter. She is as well equipped with antennas that can receive and transmit information, making her a valuable communicating device."  
  
"When will the mass production begin?" the King said.  
  
"Mass production of the Automata will begin soon. Unlike humans, these soldiers will be expendable. We can send them to dangerous missions without the fear of losing lives. If we lose them, we can always make more."  
  
"Unlike humans, the Automata will be very obedient. They will follow our orders without hesitation. Without commands, they're helpless. However, should the Automata turn on us by any reason, we also have that covered." The first scientist pointed at the computer terminals in the room.  
  
The second scientist spoke. "The girl's memories have been removed from her mind and are kept in the computers here. If they try to betray us, we can use her memories to blackmail her or them."  
  
The King rubbed his chin. "Splendid... that is all I can say. You two and your team have done a very good job."  
  
"Thank you, your excellency," both of them said.  
  
The King chuckled a bit. "Oh by the way, once the mass production is done, why don't you send a batch of Automata to the Granas Cathedral for a little test? Let's see what Pope Dram will think of these..."  
---  
  
Tio finally reached the exit and slowed down her pace to a walk. She opened the door and stepped into the outside world. Tio strode towards a big boulder and sat on top of it. Now that she knew her origin, questions flooded her mind. What happened to her parents after she was kidnapped? Did they try to find her? Did they have another child? With all these questions in mind, Tio knew one thing; she would never know. Her parents had been dead for more than one thousand years now. The Automata curled into a tight ball and hugged herself. She had never felt so alone and hurt since she lost Mareg. Tio drowned in her grief, unaware that a pair of glowing green eyes watched her from the woods nearby.  
  
***  
  
"Do you think she went outside?" Roan asked the group as they walked down a corridor with the exit nearby.  
  
"Maybe letting her go wasn't such a good idea..." Skye chuckled nervously who was perched on Ryudo's shoulder as usual.  
  
Millenia glared at the bird. "Now you tell us."  
  
Melfice pointed somone ahead of them. Tio left the doors open so the group could see her from the inside. "There she is, she's outside."  
  
"TIO!" Roan called out and ran towards her. Skye, Millenia, Melfice, and Lance followed the Young King.  
  
Ryudo stopped on his tracks as he noticed that Elena was not following. He turned around to see her on the ground. The famous singer was tying the laces together on her left boot. He walked towards her with a smirk on his face. "Hey, Princess, you need help with that?"  
  
Elena looked up to the Geohound with a smile on her face. "No thank you. This will take just a second."  
  
***  
  
"Tio!" Roan cried as he ran towards the Automata. "Here you are. We were looking all over for you."  
  
Tio turned to Roan and tried her best not to look sad. "I am sorry. I just..."  
  
Roan gave the Automata a pat on the shoulder. "Hey, do not worry about it. But just so you know, you can come and talk to us about what Elmo gave you."  
  
Tio smiled weakly. "Thank you."  
  
Millenia hugged herself as she got goosebumps on her arms all of a sudden. "Look kids, this is all very touching but I get the feeling we're being watched."  
  
Lance looked around. The Ninja then saw a big shadow move around the woods nearby. "There!" he yelled. All heads shot towards the trees to see a big, red Tyrannosaurus looking dragon emerge from the woods. "Look who's back..."  
  
The dragon roared and fired a big ball of flame at the group but the gang dove out of the way and hit the entrance to the Birthplace of the Gods instead.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo heard a big explosion and turned around to see where it came from. The ceiling near the exit blew up. Debris and rubble fell down on to the floor from the ceiling and blocked the way out. "Oh, shit," Ryudo gasped. Ryudo ran towards the rubble with Elena behind him. He tried to move the things in his way but the objects were too big and heavy.  
  
An alarmed looked crossed Elena's face. "Ryudo, are we..."  
  
Ryudo faked a laugh. "Don't worry Elena, I've got a plan. Stand back."  
  
Elena took a few steps backwards. "Okay."  
  
Ryudo put his hand forward and aimed a Howlslash towards the big pile of ruins. The Howslash did nothing to the barricade. Instead, the ceiling rumbled again and more rubble fell onto the floor. "Damn, maybe I should use a Dragon Zap instead!"  
  
"Ryudo no! You could make things worse! A Dragon Zap could cause the entire corridor to collapse and bury us alive," Elena said.  
  
Ryudo kicked the barricade in front of him. "Damn it!! We're stuck!" 


	18. Into The Light

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Eighteen  
  
Elena sank on the floor on her knees and sighed heavily. "We are trapped... me and Ryudo... together... alone in here." The thought of being trapped and alone with Ryudo in the Birthplace of the Gods both excited and worried Elena. Elena looked at Ryudo, who stood in front of the barricade while he muttered to himself.  
  
"Damn piece of shit... bloody crap hole..." he growled silently as to not offend Elena's ears.  
  
"Ryudo?" Elena called out softly.  
  
Ryudo turned around and tried his best to look calm and cool. "Yeah?"  
  
"What are we going to do now?"  
  
"I don't know... we can't blast our way out so we're going to have to find another way."  
  
"What do you think happened? What about the others?"  
  
Ryudo looked up and examined the ceiling. "The blast obviously came from the outside so my guess is that someone attacked the others but missed and trapped us in here instead."  
  
"The others... I wonder who they are fighting with..."  
  
"I got two guesses..." Ryudo scoffed. "Well, we better get going. We've got to get out of here before we're monster dinner."  
  
Elena stood up. "Ryudo, where are we going? What about the others? What about Lance... and... and Millenia and Melfice, Skye, Roan, and Tio?"  
  
Ryudo looked a bit irritated on the account that Elena mentioned Lance's name first. "Lance is a big boy, he can take care of himself and same with the others." The Geohound walked over to her. "Look, I don't know where we're going but we have to get out of here, it's dangerous."  
  
"Okay," Elena sighed and looked at the barricade ahead of her. "Lance, Millenia, everyone please be careful," she thought.  
  
"Come on Elena, let's go. It's dangerous here," Ryudo suggested and started to walk away.  
  
"Coming," Elena replied and caught up with him.  
  
"This place is crawling with monsters so stay close to me and don't fall behind."  
  
"Understood." Elena eyed each shadowy corner nervously. She kept hearing scurrying and grunting noises in the pile of rubble. She hoped that the monsters would leave them alone. And if the monsters did attack, she also hoped that she and Ryudo could fend them off.  
  
"Don't move," Ryudo whispered all of a sudden as he heard something move from behind them. He unsheathed the Granasaber and turned around slowly. Elena got behind Ryudo and took out her Guardian Staff. A Death Doberman stalked out from an adjacent corridor and leapt towards them but Ryudo dispatched it with Tenseiken Slash in mid-air.  
  
"I do not like this place." Elena sank on the ground and let out a sigh. She was tired from walking and from the monsters they had fought earlier. Ryudo did not look tired though, not even in the least. He was a Geohound, and surely he must have been in worse conditions or situations.  
  
Ryudo eyed Elena. "You look tired. We should find a place where we can rest."  
  
Elena faked a smile and stood up. "Oh no, I am fine. We should keep moving."  
  
Ryudo did not reply and put a scowl on his face. He pushed Elena down to the ground and swung his sword forward as an Emerald Bird appeared behind her. "Get down!"  
  
Elena shrieked as the tip of the Granasaber barely missed her head. She was about to yell at Ryudo but then saw a dead, bloody Emerald Bird right next to her. She let out another shriek at the gory sight and scampered towards the wall.  
  
The Geohound smirked smugly. "Like I said, we should find a place where we can rest. Don't overdo it Elena."  
  
The Ex-Songstress nodded her head slowly and stood up. "Okay..."  
  
The two searched for a safe place to rest. They were occasionally attacked by monsters but Ryudo took care of them. Elena did not participate in most of the fights, she was fatigued. As they walked, she fell behind Ryudo a couple of times because she could not keep up with his pace. The Geohound had to wait for her to catch up and was forced up to slow down his speed. After awhile, Ryudo found an empty room and in pretty good condition.  
  
Ryudo entered the room and took off his backpack. "This place looks safe enough."  
  
Elena followed him into the room. She sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall. "Do you think the monsters will be able to get us in here?"  
  
Ryudo strode towards her and sat next to her. "I don't think so but if they do, I'll deal with them. Besides, the monsters are the least of our worries. The monsters here are so weak. We haven't encountered any strong ones yet."  
  
"That is strange. The monsters in this place used to give us a lot of trouble."  
  
"Roan told me that it's those Dragons. When those blokes back in St. Heim released the Dragons around these areas, the native monsters weren't able to compete with them for food supply. The monsters were forced out of their natural habitats and moved into areas where food is scarce. My guess is that the critters don't get enough food and often starve. The monsters in this place probably come out and hunt outside but with those Dragons around, it's impossible to hunt without getting eaten. Then, there's also that psycho. He probably destroyed a good number of monsters and not to mention the damn place too when he went mad with power."  
  
"Why would the scientists from St. Heim make such awful creatures?"  
  
"Because they're a nice bunch, they wanted us to have good playmates. Aren't they thoughtful?"  
  
"Ryudo..." Elena scolded sternly at his sarcasm.  
  
Ryudo put his hands up in defense. "How the hell should I know? We came to this place to learn about the Cathedral Knights but instead we get stuck here."  
  
Elena's stomach rumbled before she could answer.  
  
"I'm hungry too." The Geohound reached for his backpack and took out two can drinks and two sandwiches. He handed one of each to her.  
  
"Thank you," she smiled and took a bite out of her sandwich. "I wonder what the others are doing right now."  
  
Ryudo shrugged. "I don't know. Who knows? They could be fighting whatever attacked us or they could be doing the same thing." He took a sip from his drink and then tried to look all serious and sincere. "Elena?"  
  
"Yes Ryudo?"  
  
Ryudo stared at the wall in front of them and kept his eyes there. "Do you think everything will go back to normal? Do you think we could change Gatta and the Cathedral Knights to their old selves? Do you think things will go back the way they were before the Cathedral Knights attacked us back at the Cyrum Festival?"  
  
Elena frowned at Ryudo. She wondered what was up with all of his questions. "I do not know. That is why we are fighting. We fight to help people and for our future." Elena looked up to the ceiling. "...hopefully our future, you and me together," she thought.  
  
"Why did it have to be Gatta and them Elena? Why? I just don't know if I can fight them if we meet them again. If we do meet them, then what are we suppose to do? How are we suppose to win?"  
  
Elena reached out for his hand and held it. "Ryudo, I know this is very hard for you. But, no matter what happens, we cannot give up. We will find some way to save Gatta and the Cathedral Knights."  
  
"What if we don't? What if we have to kill them?"  
  
Elena squeezed Ryudo's hand and gave him a sympathetic look. She knew how he felt. She knew how it felt like to lose everyone, everyone you cared about. "Please do not think that way. We will find a way to solve this problem."  
  
Ryudo smiled weakly. "Okay, I won't."  
  
"Thank you. It pains me to hear you say such things."  
  
He gave her hand a squeeze this time and held it. "I'm sorry, things just look so bleak right now."  
  
"Not to me. We're alone, sitting together, talking, and holding hands, things look bright," Elena said to herself in her mind. She wished she could stay like this with Ryudo forever. "Well I hope that they will not forever."  
  
"I hope so too." Ryudo faced her and gave her a charming smile. "Thanks for listening." He gave her hand another squeeze. "You look tired. Take a nap or something."  
  
Elena put her hand on her mouth and yawned softly. "I think I will." Her feet were really sore from walking and her body was beat from battles. Elena shut her eyes and fell asleep in seconds.  
  
Ryudo still held her hand. He laced his fingers with hers and gazed down on her. He was glad that she did not want her hand back. Holding her hand made him feel special. He felt like he could do anything with Elena by his side like this. He loved her and would be more than happy to spend his life like this with her but not until all of their problems are solved. Ryudo gasped softly as Elena's head slid slowly onto his shoulder from the wall. He sighed heavily. "Elena..." Ryudo rested his head against Elena's and fell into a wonderful slumber as well.  
  
***  
  
Elena woke up from her sleep as she heard thunderous footsteps outside the room. She opened her eyes and found herself in Ryudo's arms with her head on his chest. "Ryudo?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Yeah?" he whispered as he released her from his embrace. The two heard a roar from outside.  
  
Elena leaned against the wall and eyed the door. "What could that be? It does not sound like the other monsters around here. Are we going to be safe in here?"  
  
"Don't worry, whatever it is, it ain't coming nowhere near you. I've always been your bodyguard, right?" he smirked.  
  
"Right," she nodded.  
  
Another roar came but this time it sounded much closer. Elena curled into a tight ball and hoped that the monster outside would not come after them. The monster roared again and then the two heard another one screech in agony.  
  
"What was that? Did it kill something?" Elena asked.  
  
"Sshhh, be quiet."  
  
The two heard a few munching sounds and then a growl from the first monster. To their surprise, the monster started to claw at the door as if it tried to get in.  
  
"Ryudo! It knows we are here," Elena whimpered at the sound of metal screeching against the creature's claws.  
  
"I know. Stay here, I have to kill it before it gets in."  
  
"What? You are not going out there alone. Ryudo let me help you, please."  
  
"No, you stay here. I'll take care of it. I'll be okay, don't worry." He stood up from the floor and gave her a smile. The monster stopped clawing at the door.  
  
"Fine, you win," she sighed in defeat. He was so stubborn, it was impossible to win an argument with him.  
  
Ryudo strode towards the door and left the room to confront the monster outside. As soon as Ryudo stepped outside, Elena heard growls, snarls, and Ryudo's battle cries. Elena fell on the floor as the walls and the floor rumbled a bit from the fight outside. Whatever Ryudo fought was big. Elena clasped her hands together on her chest and wished and hope with all her heart that Ryudo would come back in unharmed.  
  
Time passed slowly as Ryudo fought the monster outside the room. After awhile, Elena heard Ryudo yell out "Sky Dragon Slash" and was followed by a pained growl. A big thud then echoed throughout the halls and into the room. It was silent all of a sudden and Elena wondered what happened now. She was tempted to go outside but decided against it.  
  
_If I let go of your hand clasped in mine,  
with that, it would all probably come to an end right now.  
What I wanted to know, and even what hurts me  
even those were left undone.  
  
_ The door slid open and a sweaty, panting Ryudo entered the room. He then dropped down to the floor on his knees and panted some more to catch his breath. "Damn... that took... longer than I thought..."  
  
Elena rushed to his side. "Ryudo, are you okay? Were you injured? What did you fight outside?"  
  
Ryudo chuckled a bit. "Oh, I'm okay... it was just a dragon but it was small compared to the others. It took me awhile but I beat it."  
  
"I am glad you are in one piece."  
  
Ryudo stood up. "See? What did I tell you? I told you not to worry."  
  
_Even though I should want to wish  
for you to find happiness,  
I can't, I'm too immature.  
I wipe the tears, but they still keep flowing.  
  
_ Elena looked liked someone stabbed her in the heart and then stared at the floor. "I am sorry for worrying... it is just that... it is hard not to..." she whispered with a small sob.  
  
Ryudo frowned. "Hey? What's wrong? Was it something I said?"  
  
She turned around. "I do not know what to do anymore."  
  
"Elena?" Ryudo placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her back around but she still stared at the floor. He cupped her chin with his fingers and forced her to look up to him. He saw a small tear escape from her ruby red eye. "What's wrong? Tell me."  
  
_Good bye  
I love you  
more than anyone else.  
Even more deeply than the sky.  
  
_ "I... I really..." She bit her lips and tried to come up with the best words to say to him. "I really, REALLY care about you Ryudo, more than anyone, even me. I want to help you, support you, be by your side no matter what. But you will not let me. It... it worries and pains me a lot." She took a deep breath and tried her best not to break into sobs. "It hurts to be pushed away."  
  
Ryudo felt like he got hit by a truckload of bricks upon hearing Elena's words. "Elena... I'm sorry."  
  
"Can we become more than friends? If you do not want to, I will stay out of your way forever and not bother you."  
  
Ryudo put his hands on her cheeks. He leaned a little closer to her and looked at her in the eyes. "Elena... the truth is, I want the two of us to be more than friends. You're everything to me."  
  
Elena threw herself at him and hugged him tightly. She had her arms wrapped around his waist and her head placed against his chest. "So why?"  
  
_Don't cry.  
We'll meet again, right?  
But not being able to see you  
is something that only I know about.  
  
_ Ryudo rested his cheek against the crown of her head while his arms hung limply on his sides. "We're caught in a middle of a war. I'd like the two of us to be together but we can't with the world like this. You deserve better than this. I fight to make the world better for the two of us. And it'd kill me if anything happened to you. Do you understand now?"  
  
Elena looked up to him and nodded her head slowly. "I understand..." she sobbed and broke into tears.  
  
It hurt Ryudo to see the angel in front of him weeping and it hurt him even more that it was his fault. "Please stop..." Elena did not say anything and more tears flowed down her cheeks. Ryudo did not know why he did it but he kissed her passionately on the lips.  
  
_This fate that we've chosen...  
someday you too will understand its true meaning.  
The treasure of memories that we've made  
will always live on deep inside my heart.  
  
_ Elena knew Ryudo kissed her for comfort but the kiss ignited every single part of their bodies. The hidden and suppressed passion they had for each other exploded out of their hearts. Elena returned the kiss with equal passion if not, more.  
  
Ryudo groaned into her mouth. "Elena... we can't do this..."  
  
Elena tried to pull away but there was an unbreakable force between the two of them that it was impossible to do so.  
  
Ryudo slid his tongue into her mouth and explored every inch of it. When he found her tongue, he flicked at it.  
  
She caught on with what he had in mind. She slid her tongue into his mouth and wrestled with his. Elena's hands snaked up to his head and ran her fingers through his brownish, spikey hair. Elena broke the kiss. "Oh Ryudo..." she moaned and kissed him again.  
  
_I thought it was a beautiful thing,  
the word called hope.  
In an almost painful embrace,  
I'm looking up at you.  
  
_ Ryudo's hand found its way to Elena's butt and gave it a light squeeze. He leaned closer to her to deepen their kiss. Their bodies were pressed against each other and Ryudo could feel her nipples hardening through her white shirt against his muscular chest.  
  
Elena gave Ryudo a light push. The Geohound fell on his back but took Elena with him so he was on top of her. She broke their kiss again to catch her breath and then started to nibble his ear.  
  
"Elena... we have to stop..." Ryudo rolled on his back and was now on top of her. He planted several kisses on her neck while his hands gave her hips a light rub.  
  
"Ryudo... please don't go..." she whimpered and kissed him again.  
  
_Thank you  
I love you  
more than anyone else.  
Even more strongly than dreams.  
  
_ The two kept rolling and changing positions until they hit the wall. Ryudo sat up and leaned his back against the wall while Elena straddled his thighs and their kiss continued. Ryudo's hand slid down to her butt and caressed it in a circular motion. He placed his other hand on one of her breasts and stayed there.  
  
Elena finally broke their kiss and placed her head against his chest. She panted heavily for her breath and same with Ryudo.  
  
Ryudo wrapped his arms around her waist to bring her closer to him. "Elena?"  
  
"Yes Ryudo?"  
  
"Will you wait for me? When everything is back in order, will you be there for me?" he asked gently.  
  
She looked up to him, to those emerald green eyes. "Of course, I will always wait for you. I promise. Will you come back for me?"  
  
_Hold me.  
Don't let go.  
But don't utter  
even a single thing...  
  
_ "I will. I promise." He gave her one of his charming smiles. "Come on Elena, we have to go."  
  
"Okay." She got off Ryudo and stood up.  
  
Ryudo got up from the floor and put his backpack on. "Heh, let's get out of here."  
  
The two left the room and walked side by side. In the middle of their search for their way out, Ryudo took her hand and held it as they walked. Elena did not mind and just smiled at him.  
  
Elena pointed something ahead of them. "Look Ryudo, sunlight!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, where's it coming from?"  
  
The two followed the sunlight with their hands still laced together. After awhile, the two found the source of the light; a tunnel. The tunnel looked like it was made by a monster. "What kind of monster do you think dug this tunnel?" Elena asked.  
  
"Probably the dragon I fought back there," Ryudo answered. "Come on, the outside world is just well... outside."  
  
The two entered the tunnel and at the end of it, they found themselves in a grassy meadow. The two looked around their surroundings as if they were in awe. Even though they were stuck in the Birthplace of the Gods for a few hours, it felt like they had been there forever.  
  
"What should we do now Ryudo?"  
  
"We should go back to Cyrum," he replied and let go of Elena's hand.  
  
Elena felt like a part of her was lost when Ryudo released her hand. "Come back to me Ryudo..." she thought as they resumed their journey.  
  
_Don't cry.  
I love you.  
Even though we're separated far apart,  
I can still live with you._


	19. Dragon Attack

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Nineteen  
  
Lance looked around. The Ninja then saw a big shadow move around the woods nearby. "There!" he yelled. All heads shot towards the trees to see a big, red Tyrannosaurus looking dragon emerge from the woods. "Look who's back..."  
  
The dragon roared and fired a big ball of flame at the group but the gang dove out of the way and hit the entrance to the Birthplace of the Gods instead.  
  
"ELENA!!!" Lance screamed in his head as he saw the entrance to the Birth Place of the Gods collapse. The Ninja ran towards the entrance and tried to remove the barricade in front of him but to no avail.  
  
"DAMMIT!! Where did that thing come from?" Millenia cursed to herself. She stood up from the ground and took out her Black Angel Bow. She aimed for the red dragon and fired two arrows at it. The arrows barely pierced its scaly body.  
  
"I will tear you pieces!" Roan yelled out as he casted a Howl spell on the dragon. The dragon staggered a bit from the attack and roared again.  
  
The dragon reared its head back and spat out a big ball of fire at Lance, who was still trying to remove the pile of rubble in front of him. "Lance!! Look out!!!" Millenia cried.  
  
Lance turned around to see a fire ball headed straight at him. There was no time to avoid it. The Ninja braced himself for the attack and shielded himself with his trench coat. There was an explosion as the fire ball met the Ninja. When the dust cleared from the explosion, everyone saw Lance, still in his defensive position, with no scratches on him or on his trench coat.  
  
"He wasn't even scratched... I guess that's one heavy duty trench coat he's wearing..." Millenia said to herself mentally.  
  
Lance raised the Falchion straight above him into the air with both hands. The Falchion's blade glowed with a blue aura and the Ninja then slashed downwards. "GET READY! DARK SLASH!" He then swept it downwards and fired several dark blue, crescent projectiles at the dragon. He hit the dragon on the neck but the attack did not affect it that much.  
  
"This is one tough lizard," Melfice growled. Melfice held the Cardinal Blade in the air with both hands. "HAA!!!" He then brought the sword down to the ground. "Demon Horde Slash!!!" A huge, crest of blue swords formed on the ground and the crest released destructive energy.  
  
The dragon lost its balance a bit from Melfice's attack but quickly regained it. It then spat a fire ball at the blue haired man. Melfice did not avoid the attack in time and sailed across the air as he got hit. He landed on a bush and lay there.  
  
"This thing is as strong as ever. How are we suppose to beat it?!" Lance asked himself mentally.  
  
The red dragon growled in triumph and ran towards Melfice.  
  
Tio raised her hands in the air and summoned a tornado. "Release wind," she said. Tio's Tornado advanced towards the dragon and hurled the giant lizard in the air. A loud thud echoed throughout the rocky meadow as the dragon crashed down to the ground.  
  
The giant lizard let out a small whine and got up again. It then charged at Roan and Tio and whipped them with its tail. The blow from the attack sent the two flying to a nearby tree. At the corner of its eye, it saw Millenia about to fire her crossbow. Quickly, it turned around and fired a blast of flame at the red head.  
  
"We can't beat this thing! It's too strong!" Millenia growled as the dragon's attack just barely missed her.  
  
Lance raised his hand in the air and casted an Alhealer. "Spirits of life, shed your holy light!"  
  
Roan, Tio, and Melfice felt the pain drain out of their bodies and stood up. The three ran up to Millenia and Lance.  
  
"Nothings seems to affect this monster," Tio said.  
  
"That's why we have to get out of here," Millenia replied impatiently.  
  
"What about Mister Ryudo and Miss Elena?" Roan asked.  
  
"I think they can take care of themselves," Melfice answered.  
  
"Besides, if we stay here any longer, that thing will eat us," Millenia added.  
  
"I can just fly out of here but what about the rest of you? I don't think that dragon is just going to let you go," Skye told everyone.  
  
"I've got us covered." Lance reached inside his trench coat and took out a black sphere. He threw it at the dragon and it exploded into a cloud of smoke as it hit the giant lizard. "There's no time to waste! Let's go!" the Ninja yelled and ran with everyone behind him.  
  
"You had smoke bombs in that trench coat of yours and you didn't tell us?! You could have saved us a lot of trouble!!" Millenia growled.  
  
Lance did not say anything. He just kept running for his life. ". . . . . ."  
  
"Quit whining, as long as we made it out of there in one piece, everything is okay with me," Melfice said.  
  
Roan looked behind them and his eyes widened. "Uh... whatever happens, do not look back, just keep running as fast as you can," he laughed nervously.  
  
Tio looked back. "The dragon is back. It appears that it managed to follow us."  
  
"What the fu...?!" Millenia exclaimed as she saw the dragon gaining on them. "This is ridiculous." She took out her Black Angel Bow and loaded an arrow. "This may sting a little." She aimed for the dragon's head and fired.  
  
The dragon avoided the arrow and countered with a tail whip. Millenia was knocked off the ground. The dragon licked its lips with its tongue and lunged for the red head.  
  
"Millenia!" Melfice cried and dove at her. He held onto her waist and rolled away from the dragon. "You okay?"  
  
"I will be when you get off of me."  
  
"Oh." The blue haired man did not realize he was still on top of her. Melfice stood up and helped Millenia up.  
  
"Golden Hammer... Crash!" Roan yelled as he threw a big hammer at the lizard to keep it at bay.  
  
"Lotus Flower... bloom," Tio said as she hurled a pink projectile at the enemy.  
  
"There's no way we could beat this thing... at least not like this. We have to get out of here... now," Lance told himself mentally. The Ninja put his hand up in the air and yelled out, "Dark spirits of the forests, gather and destroy!" Green bubbles formed around the dragon and poisoned it as they popped.  
  
"That should slow it down. Let's go, now!" Skye announced as he went ahead of everyone.  
  
Roan, Tio, Lance, and Melfice nodded to each other and followed Skye.  
  
Millenia shot an arrow first at the dragon before she left. "Bastard."  
  
The group ran past the rocky plains and were now in the forest. "Did we lose it?" Tio asked everyone.  
  
"I don't know. Just keep running," Millenia answered.  
  
The group soon came across a bridge that would lead them to the other side of the forest. However, the bridge was in a bad shape.  
  
"No way, I'm crossing that thing!" Millenia complained.  
  
"But it is the only way across." Roan tried to reason with her.  
  
Millenia put her hands on her hips and glared at the group. "What if that piece of crap break down while we're crossing, huh?!"  
  
Lance looked down the cliff. "It's a long way down and the current of the river is unsafe should we fall down," he thought.  
  
"What if we all cross together?" Melfice suggested.  
  
"Fine with me. But, if we fall down, I'm putting all the blame on you," Millenia snarled at the blue haired man.  
  
Melfice crossed the bridge first and stopped when he was halfway through. "See? It's okay." The rest then walked up to him to catch up. "What did I tell you?"  
  
"Oh shut up," Millenia said. Before the group could continue, they heard a rather familiar growl from behind. The group sweat dropped and their faces fell as they turned around and saw the dragon back for more.  
  
"This is not good," Melfice pointed out.  
  
"Well, duh, we can see that," Millenia scoffed.  
  
The red dragon hissed and fired a blast of flame at the old bridge. The ropes that held the bridge in place snapped and then the whole thing fell apart.  
  
" 'See? It's okay.' " Millenia mimicked Melfice in a mocking tone before they fell down the river. There was a big splash as the group hit the water. They tried to fight the current and get to the shore but it was too strong. The current swept them away and took them all downstream.  
  
***  
  
Millenia felt hot and her head swam. She opened her eyes slowly but shut them quickly as intense sunlight greeted them. She stood up from the river shore and rubbed her eyes. "Where am I?" she asked herself as she looked around. She then saw the others still laying on the ground. She ran to Tio and shook her a bit. "Hey, wake up!"  
  
"Where are we?" Roan groaned as he stood up.  
  
Melfice sat up from the ground. "I don't know but it must be pretty far from where we fell though."  
  
Tio got up and dusted dirt off of her clothes. "I am unfamiliar with this territory."  
  
"This is all your fault!" Millenia growled at Melfice.  
  
"Hey, at least we're alive and I don't see that dragon anywhere," Melfice countered.  
  
"I know this place," Lance told everyone and all heads turned to him.  
  
"What?" Millenia frowned.  
  
"I said, I know this place. Come on, I'll lead us out of here," the Ninja announced and began to walk.  
  
"Where do you think he is taking us?" Tio whispered to Millenia.  
  
"I don't know but I trust him," Millenia shrugged and followed the Ninja. "You three coming?"  
  
"Yeah," Melfice said and ran to Lance and Millenia with Roan and Tio behind him.  
  
Lance led the group out of the forest rather quickly. He knew every turn or move he made and where it took them. When they made it out of the forest, the group stood in front of a destroyed city.  
  
"What is this place?" Millenia asked.  
  
"I have heard of this city. It was called Minalin. The city was burned down by Selene and her Cathedral Knights because it was suspected of harbouring a piece of Valmar," Roan answered.  
  
"That's right," Lance nodded. "Come on, let's keep going. We're almost there."  
  
"Where are we going?" Tio inquired.  
  
"To the Iga Ninja Fortress, we're spending the night there. It's just beyond the forest at the end of these ruins."  
  
Melfice frowned. "To a Ninja Fortress? Isn't it forbidden to bring outsiders to your Ninja Clan?"  
  
"Yes, but no one will greet you there. The Fortress is deserted as well," Lance chuckled and started to walk again.  
  
***  
  
The sun had almost set when the group reached the Iga Ninja Fortress. Lance walked up to the Fortress' big gates and gave them a mighty shove. The gates opened with a loud creak. Lance then entered the Fortress but noticed that the others just stood where they were. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Are you really sure that this place is deserted?" Tio asked embarrassingly.  
  
"We just don't want your Ninja pals attacking us when they see us," Melfice added.  
  
"Trust me, NO ONE lives here anymore. Are you four coming inside or not? My clan may have disappeared but a lot of monsters do come out during the night," Lance threatened and entered the Fortress. "Why do I care if these guys get attacked by a monster or something?" he thought.  
  
"Wow, this place IS deserted," Millenia commented as she entered the Fortress with the rest behind her. She looked around the place and noticed that there were plenty of cob webs on the ceiling and dirt stains on the walls.  
  
Roan let out a relaxed sigh and sank on the ground. "Ugh, walking all the way up here sure took a lot out of me."  
  
Melfice leaned against the wall. "No kidding. You guys have any food left?"  
  
Roan took off his backpack and checked it. "Yes, I still have some drinks and a few rations." The Young King took out the food from his backpack and handed them out to everyone.  
  
"I never knew old ration packs can taste so good when you're this hungry," Millenia chuckled.  
  
"I could not agree more," Tio smiled.  
  
"Tomorrow, we should be heading back to Cyrum. Do you have any ideas on how to get there?" Roan asked everyone.  
  
Melfice shook his head and then eyed the Ninja. "I don't know this area. Lance?"  
  
Lance swallowed his food and then spoke. "If we try to go back to where we came from, chances are, we'll meet our dragon friend again. Liligue is just south of here. We could go to Liligue and from there, we go north using the Skyway Station to get to Cyrum."  
  
"Good plan," Millenia complimented.  
  
A concerned look spread across Tio's face. "What about Ryudo and Elena? What if they are still trapped down there?"  
  
Roan put his hand on Tio's shoulder. "Do not worry about them, I am sure they got out. Even if they were still trapped in there, I am sure Mister Skye made it to Cyrum by now and he will get help."  
  
"I can't believe that bird just left us like that," Millenia growled to herself.  
  
Lance stood up from the floor. "It doesn't matter, we didn't really need him. Go inside and help yourselves if you want some sleep, there's plenty of room." With that, the Ninja turned around and disappeared into the shadows.  
  
"I am tired, I will go get some sleep," Tio said and left.  
  
"Me too, I will come with you," Roan called out and went after the Automata.  
  
"Are you going to sleep?" Melfice asked Millenia.  
  
"No. Maybe later," she answered. She sat on the ground and looked up to the starry sky. "Melfice?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For saving me back in the park and also when the dragon was about to bite my head off. No one had ever done something like that for me..." she trailed off. "...except Ryudo," she continued in her mind. Ryudo was the only one that ever looked out for her but he was gone. He belonged to Elena now. She was finally over Ryudo but her heart and soul still screamed to be loved, no matter how hard she tried to fight the feeling. Although she would not admit it to herself anymore, she wanted to be happy with someone but where would she find the one? Even if the "one" stood right in front of her, she would avoid him like the plague. She was afraid to feel, afraid to love and then get hurt again. She would rather be alone with her pain rather than take a risk and get hurt again.  
  
Melfice stared at Millenia for a long time. To him, it looked like she was in deep thought. "What are you think about?"  
  
"Nothing. It's nothing. As I was saying, thanks for everything."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm just doing what I can to help. I've let so many people down in the past. Now, that I've been given a second chance, I want to make up for it." Although it had been more than a year since he was possessed by the Horns of Valmar, memories of the crimes that Melfice committed and the faces of those he killed where still fresh and clear in his mind. His heart was still racked with guilt and contempt for himself. He hated himself for killing Reena and countless of innocent people.  
  
Reena... how he missed her. When he "came back" and then remembered what he had done, it felt like a part of him died. It felt like his heart was swallowed by a giant black void of pain and loneliness. He really loved Reena but she was gone and nobody else could ever love a Demon Man like him. Even if somebody did, he would probably stay away from her, he was afraid that he would just hurt that person like what he did to Reena.  
  
Melfice sat down next to Millenia and watched the stars with her. "Hey Millie, what do you plan on doing after we beat the Cathedral Knights?"  
  
Millenia arched an eyebrow and then laughed. "Millie? Where did that come from?"  
  
Melfice chuckled. "I don't know."  
  
"Hmph. Well... I really don't know. I'll probably go back to my home in Liligue and go back to my job as a teacher. What about you?"  
  
"I really don't know either. I can't live with Ryudo since he would probably want to stay with Elena."  
  
"It's funny how aside from the battlefield, we feel like we don't belong anywhere."  
  
"Well, let's hope it doesn't stay that way." Melfice gave Millenia a smirk, stood up, and left.  
  
Millenia smiled to herself. She did not know why but she felt wonderful. The black void that consumed her heart had shrunk a bit. She enjoyed Melfice's company. Not only that, but she also enjoyed it when she picked on him or whenever he was around her. She did not feel so lonely or out of place. She... "NO WAY!" Millenia screamed in her mind. "Melfice? Me? It can't be..."  
  
***  
  
Roan could not sleep, he could hear Tio rolling around in her bed next door. He wondered what was wrong with her so he got up. He went out to the hallway and knocked on her door. "Tio?"  
  
"Yes Roan?" Tio answered when she opened the door.  
  
"Are you okay?" Roan asked.  
  
"I cannot go to sleep."  
  
"Is something bothering you? It is about what you saw in the Birthplace of the Gods, is it not?"  
  
Tio nodded her head. "Yes. The things that Elmo showed were..." she trailed off and bit her lips as tears threatened to flood her eyes.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
The Automata shook her head. "No thank you but maybe some other time. You should get some rest Roan."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, come on. I will be fine."  
  
"Okay, good night Tio."  
  
"Good night Roan," Tio smiled and closed her door.  
  
***  
  
Lance sat up against the wall on the railing in his balcony. He sighed an irritated sigh as his head swam with problems. He wondered what he should do with Nekura. He and Nekura came from the same Ninja Clan and they were pretty close. In fact, they were like brothers. He always thought that he was slaughtered by the Cathedral Knights along with the others but he was alive. He was now a Valmar incarnate. He wondered what his motives were and if he had to kill him should they meet again. He could destroy Nekura with the power of his black wings without hesitation even if they were like brothers. Ever since he was a child, he had been trained to control his emotions so he could become a proficient Ninja assassin. Killing Nekura now should be easier since his emotions were no longer suppressed, they were gone.  
  
"Elena..." He also wondered how Elena was doing. He kept asking himself if she was all right with the Geohound. The Ninja was so buried in his thoughts that he did not notice Millenia enter his balcony.  
  
"Hey," Millenia greeted but received no answer. The Ninja just simply stared off at the dark horizon. She walked up to him and waved her hand in front of his face. "Hello? Anyone there?"  
  
Lance's head turned slowly to face Millenia. "What do you want?" he asked coldly.  
  
Millenia smiled wickedly. "I just wanted to make sure if you're okay. You took a pretty big hit from that dragon."  
  
"Do I look like I'm hurt?"  
  
"No. I'm surprised that your trench coat is still in one piece." She ran a finger down his arm to feel the material of his coat. "What's this thing made out of?"  
  
"Leather."  
  
Millenia cocked an eyebrow. "Really? I think it's made out of something else." Millenia gave him another wicked smile and turned around. "Well, I'm sleepy now. I'm going to sleep. See you tomorrow morning Lance," she said and left.  
  
Lance watched Millenia leave and then frowned. "Does she know.... does she know that my trench coat is my black wings in disguise? If she did, how? Would she tell the others? Dammit! I knew I should've taken that hit, I would've survived it anyways. Well it doesn't matter... they'll find out about me sooner or later." Lance got off the railing and knelt down on one knee. His black, leather trench coat materialized into a pair of black demon wings on his back. He stood up and spread his wings out. He then jumped off the balcony and flew into the night sky. "It's just a matter of time now Elena." 


	20. Captive Heart

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty  
  
Ryudo entered the gates of Cyrum Castle with Elena on his back. When the two were about half way through the meadow to get to Cyrum, they decided to take a break. Ryudo sat under a tree and relaxed there while Elena went off on her own to find a river for a drink. When she least expected it down at the river, Elena was attacked by a Chameleon. The Chameleon bit her leg and managed to poison her at the same time. Fortunately, Elena managed to cast a Cure spell on herself before the poison had a chance to spread throughout her body. More fortunately, Ryudo got to save her on time when she cried for help. But unfortunately, magic spells were not enough to fully heal her leg so Ryudo had to carry her on his back for the rest of the trip since she could not walk on her own.  
  
"Great, we're finally here," Ryudo panted when they entered the castle. He was ready to fall down any second for having to carry Elena for the rest of their journey.  
  
"I am sorry for not being careful back there Ryudo. If I did not let my guard down, I would not have been such a burden," Elena apologized.  
  
Ryudo laughed a bit. "No kidding, I'm really tired for hauling you all the way here. Geez Princess, you're heavier than a hippo. What have you been snacking on lately?"  
  
Elena hit his chest lightly. "Are you calling me fat Ryudo?"  
  
"Fat? I didn't call you fat. Did you hear me call you fat, huh Princess?" Ryudo retaliated innocently.  
  
"No but you..."  
  
"Lord Ryudo! Lady Elena!" a voice called out. It was Paulk with Skye flying right behind him. "Are you two all right?"  
  
"I'm okay but Elena hurt her leg," Ryudo answered.  
  
"I am sorry to hear that. Please take the lady to her room. I will go get the royal doctor," Paulk suggested and left.  
  
"Sure, I'll do that," Ryudo nodded.  
  
"I've got a lot of things to tell you," Skye said.  
  
"We've got a lot of things to tell you too but let's take Elena to her room first," the Geohound told him.  
  
Ryudo took Elena to her room. He laid her gently on her bed as gentle as he could as to not hurt her leg further. He then collapsed on the floor and panted for his breath. His back hurt and his legs were sore. The combination of carrying Elena all the way to Cyrum and taking all of those stairs to get to her room drained all of his energy.  
  
"Ryudo!" Elena cried.  
  
"I'm okay... heh... uh... just give me a minute to..." Ryudo wheezed. He crawled towards a chair and managed to pull himself up and seat himself.  
  
"Thanks for everything Ryudo," Elena smiled.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Ryudo smiled back. He then looked around and noticed something. "Say, where's Melfice and the others?"  
  
"That's what I was going to tell you about," Skye said, who was perched on a bookshelf. "You see, we were attacked by a dragon. We tried to fight it off but it was too strong for us so we decided to retreat. I ran away first... well fly really, but when I almost reached Cyrum, I noticed that the others weren't following me anymore. I went back to look for them but there was no sign of them so I decided to come here to see if any of you would show up. How about you two? What happened to you?"  
  
Ryudo scratched the back of his head and chuckled a bit. "Well, we got trapped in the Birthplace of the Gods. Me and Elena... well we... uh... um..." Ryudo looked away as he blushed a bit when he remembered the tender moment he and Elena shared.  
  
"We tried looking for a way out but we uh..." Elena continued but she started to get flustered herself.  
  
"We were attacked by a dragon! Yeah, we were attacked by a dragon! Yeah that's right but I beat it and managed to find another exit," Ryudo blurted out when he felt the redness in his cheeks fade.  
  
Skye gave the two a suspicious look. "Really?"  
  
Ryudo cocked up an eyebrow. "You don't believe us?"  
  
"Well..." Skye started but was cut off by Elena.  
  
"Look, Paulk and the doctor are here!" she announced. "Come in you two."  
  
Paulk and the doctor entered the room and gave Elena a respective bow and then Ryudo. "Thank you kind Lady," Paulk said.  
  
The doctor took a step forward and knelt down next to Elena's bed. He examined Elena's leg to see what was wrong with it. "Let's see what's wrong here."  
  
Ryudo finally gathered enough strength to stand up. "What's wrong with her leg doctor?"  
  
The doctor stood up and adjusted his glasses. "Well, her muscles are sore and some of her tendons were twisted. You should see some swelling and bruises a little later on. I don't have anything right now that could treat your leg so I'll be back tomorrow. Right now, Elena should stay in bed and get some rest."  
  
"Right," Ryudo nodded.  
  
"Thank you doctor," Elena said gratefully.  
  
"You are welcome. I will see you tomorrow Lady Elena." The doctor took a bow and left the room.  
  
"It looks like you'll be stuck in bed for awhile Elena," Ryudo told her.  
  
"What about the others Ryudo? When do you plan on looking for them?" Skye nagged.  
  
"I'm thinking!" Ryudo snarled through clenched teeth.  
  
"Oh, that reminds me... the Granasaber Ship's repairs and upgrades have been completed," Paulk announced. "With it, you can search for King Roan and the others with ease."  
  
Ryudo arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really?"  
  
"Yes, the Granasaber Ship is ready to aid you in your mission. Would you like me to take you to it?"  
  
"Yeah, sure," Ryudo said.  
  
"Please follow me." Paulk bowed to Elena respectively and left the room.  
  
"I'll go check that ship. I'll be back." Ryudo let Skye fly onto his shoulder and exited Elena's chamber to follow Paulk.  
  
Paulk led the Geohound and the talking eagle back to the factory that used to make the Automatas. The three stepped into an elevator and Paulk pressed the "down" button when the doors closed. "We shall be there shortly."  
  
"Say, why did you guys rebuild this place?"  
  
Paulk cleared his throat and spoke. "My Lord, this place was equipped with a lot of advanced technology that could easily rival Liligue's. King Roan's advisors suggested that we rebuild this place to increase Cyrum's industrial economy. Instead of producing Automatas, we make various machines here that are beneficial to our people like hospital equipment, household appliances, and ship engines. In fact, some of our engineers are working on a new ship engine that is more powerful than the 50/50. And now, we are using our technology to fix your ship. The Granasaber is found at the very bottom of the factory."  
  
"Wow, I hope your engineers do make a better engine than the 50/50's," Ryudo said with a small touch of sarcasm.  
  
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. "It looks like we are here," Paulk announced.  
  
The three stepped out of the elevator and Ryudo was in awe when he saw the Granasaber stand a few meters away from. The Granasaber was all fixed and shiny. Any dents or scratches from the battle with the winged dragons were gone. He was impressed that they accomplished this in a few days although he did not show it. "So... exactly what kind of upgrades did you guys do?"  
  
Paulk did not know the answer. He looked around and saw a group of engineers, who sat around in a table at a corner of the underground harbour while they ate their lunches. He waved at them. "Lord Ryudo wishes to know about your work on the Granasaber Ship."  
  
One of the engineers walked up to Ryudo. He took out a flat, round little gadget from his pocket and pressed a red button on the side of it. "Lord Ryudo, Sir Paulk, let me present you the new and improved Granasaber!" he said excitedly. The center of the gadget on his palm fired a small beam of light into the air. The beam of light formed a rotating, semi transparent holographic model of the Granasaber in front of them.  
  
"First, we repaired your ship but I'm pretty sure you can already see that so next, we... installed some weapons. We equipped the Granasaber its original weapons. The ship can shoot out yellow chains of light but at the same time, it can also use these chains of light to form a protective barrier around it. We also added another weapon. We call it the De Esperanza." The engineer pressed another button on his gadget. The hologram showed the Granasaber firing a powerful red laser from its tip. "The De Esperanza is very powerful, it could easily destroy a town or maybe a mountain but it uses up a lot of fuel so be careful.  
  
The engineer pressed another button and the hologram zoomed in at the Granasaber's midsection. The hologram showed a cross section of the Granasaber so Ryudo could see what the ship looked like on the inside. "We left the bridge and the hangar just the way they were. However, we included seven bedrooms with their own bathrooms in case anyone needs a rest. We also included a small lounge where you can grab something to eat or coffee. Finally, we added an emergency room where you can find spare fuel tanks and parachutes. So, Lord Ryudo, what do you think of the ship?"  
  
Ryudo scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "Thanks... thanks a lot for doing all of this... but I've got a question."  
  
The engineer raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"  
  
"Does it come with a manual? I don't know how to fly this thing, only Tio does."  
  
The engineer laughed. "Oh, do not worry about that. The ship is programmed with an auto pilot feature."  
  
"Okay, thanks." Ryudo looked at the Granasaber from its tip to its end. "This is great, with this, I can find Melfice and the others and also give us an edge against the Cathedral Knights and whatever dragons they sic on us," he thought.  
  
***  
  
Lance and company left the Iga Ninja Fortress after they ate their breakfasts. They went through another forest and then crossed the Baked Plains to get to Liligue. Millenia wiped sweat off of her forehead and snarled, "Are we there yet?!" She was really annoyed with the Ninja. They had spent most of the day walking under the blazing heat of the sun. She insisted many times that they should take a break once in awhile but the Ninja just urged everyone to keep going.  
  
Lance walked forward and looked ahead to see if they were close to Liligue. "Hmph, it's just a mile away from here."  
  
The others ran up to him. "You... you are right... I can see the gates from here..." Roan panted.  
  
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Lance said coldly and started to walk again. He was just as tired as everyone else but did not let it show. Besides, he had important things to attend to so he was very anxious to get to the city.  
  
Melfice, like Lance did not show any signs of fatigue as well. "Liligue, here we come."  
  
Millenia glared at the Ninja and followed him. "Finally, we can rest when we get to my house. I don't care what Lance says but we're spending the night there."  
  
Lance stopped walking and turned around to face Millenia. "Fine, if you insist. Lead us the way."  
  
Millenia eyed the turquoise haired man suspiciously. "Fine, I will," she hissed. Millenia looked at Roan, Tio, and Melfice. "Okay everyone, to my house!" she announced excitedly and they continued their journey with her on the lead.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo returned to Elena's room to find her sleeping. He decided that he should leave now and look for the others using the Granasaber Ship. He wanted to stop by her room to tell her he would be leaving shortly. "I should leave her a note or something... I want her to know where I am when she wakes up," Ryudo whispered to Skye.  
  
"Very good Ryudo. You're finally learning how to deal with women," Skye said.  
  
"Shut up Skye! Get out of here!" he snarled silently. Skye then spread out his wings and flew out of the room. "Stupid bird..." he muttered as he walked to the door and closed it. Ryudo strode towards the study table at the corner of the room as quietly as possible in search of pen and paper. He saw a notepad on the table and noticed that there was something written on it. "It's a song. I wonder what's it about..." Ryudo read the song and when he was done, a smile spread across his lips. He turned around and looked at Elena lovingly. "Oh Elena..."  
  
Ryudo tore a piece of paper from the notepad and wrote a note about his whereabouts. He folded it in half and wrote "To Elena" on the front side. He tip toed to her night stand beside her bed and put the note there. He then kissed Elena lightly on the lips before he left her room. "Good bye Elena. Sleep well and hope you feel better when I come back."  
  
***  
  
By the time the gang reached Millenia's house, it was very late in the afternoon. The group sat around in the living room to catch their breaths and just plain relax. With dragons chasing them, Cathedral Knights wreaking havoc, and a psycho Ninja killing anything in sight, they had less and less relaxing time.  
  
"Nice home you got here," Melfice complimented.  
  
"Thanks," Millenia smiled.  
  
Roan looked around the living room and noticed a little golden statue on top of a cabinet. "Miss Millenia, what is that?"  
  
Millenia giggled. "Oh, it's a trophy. I won the Teacher of the Year Award last year. Isn't it great?"  
  
"Congratulations Millenia," Tio smiled although she and the others sweat dropped internally and wondered if the judges were high on crack at the time.  
  
"Hey, do you guys want to eat anything? Thanks to Lance here, that was one hell of a walk to here," Millenia asked.  
  
"Now that you mentioned it, I am kind of hungry," Melfice replied.  
  
"Okay, I'll cook something but I don't have anything in the fridge so who wants to go grocery shopping?"  
  
"I... uh... I have to go for a moment. I have to contact Paulk and let him know that we are okay. I am very sorry," Roan answered and started to get up.  
  
"I have to go too. I have to help him," Tio added and left the house with Roan.  
  
"I have something important to take care of. I'll see you two later," Lance said in his monotonous voice and exited the house.  
  
Millenia sighed an irritated sigh. "I can't believe they left me alone with Melfice," she thought.  
  
Melfice stood up from the couch and smiled. "Well, I guess it's just the two of us."  
  
"Yay, how nice," Millenia said sarcastically with a small sigh. "Come on, let's go."  
  
The two stepped out of the house and Millenia locked the door. They walked down the street to get to the nearest grocery store. The store was only a block or so away from Millenia's house so it did not take long to get there. When the two got to the store, Millenia grabbed a small, green basket near the entrance and handed it over to Melfice. "Here, you carry this."  
  
"What kinds of things do we need?" Melfice asked.  
  
"Well, it depends on what you guys want," Millenia replied.  
  
"I know what I want. But what about the others? You should've asked them what they wanted and then we could've made a list of what to buy."  
  
"Well, I could've done that if they didn't bolt out of the house the second I mentioned 'grocery shopping'." Millenia hit his shoulder playfully. "Anyway, it looks like I'm going to have to cook something you want, aren't you a lucky guy?"  
  
"You know how to cook Cream of Mushroom Pork?"  
  
"It requires some work but I'll do it."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yes I'm sure, it's my favourite dish."  
  
"Mine too. Don't worry, I'll help you cook," he smiled.  
  
The two strode towards the first aisle to find some of the ingredients they need. "Are you sure you want to help me in the kitchen? We have to brown the meat before putting it in the oven and sometimes the cooking oil has a tendency to fly out of the frying pan."  
  
Melfice arched an eyebrow. "Sounds nasty but nothing I can't handle," he chuckled a bit.  
  
Millenia let out a small laugh. "You sure? It can slightly burn your skin." She grabbed two cans of mushroom soup from the rack and put them on the green basket that Melfice held.  
  
"Worry about yourself, I'm wearing armour."  
  
She smiled devilishly. "I can wear a pretty red apron with black bat wing designs around it."  
  
He frowned slightly at that. "They sell those now?"  
  
"Yeah, they do. Found it in a sale. 50% off."  
  
"Good bargain."  
  
"It is."  
  
The two left the aisle and headed to the frozen meat section. Millenia took what they needed from the freezer and gave it to Melfice. "You think they have any with bullhorn designs?" he asked as he put the meat in the basket.  
  
"Think they have what?"  
  
"Aprons."  
  
Before Millenia could answer, they heard a squeal from behind. The two turned around at the source of the voice and saw a little girl ran up to them from her parents down an aisle. "Miss Millenia!!" the little girl chirped.  
  
Millenia gasped. "Lynn! How are you? Enjoying your vacation?"  
  
The little girl nodded her head. "Uh-huh. I went to the zoo, a... a carnival, lot's of places Miss Millenia! How about you?"  
  
"I'm having fun..." Millenia answered flatly. "...having fun from getting chased by dragons, dumped by Ryudo, and fighting Cathedral Knights," she continued in her head.  
  
"I'm glad," Lynn said and looked up to the tall, blue haired man with the silver armour and red cape beside her teacher. "Miss Millenia, who is he? Is he your husband?"  
  
Melfice and Millenia looked at each other and then almost fell on the floor. They turned away from each other and started to cough violently to cover up the embarrassed look on their faces.  
  
"Did I say something wrong?" the little girl asked innocently.  
  
Millenia pat her head and smiled. "No and this is Melfice... he... he is a friend."  
  
Melfice waved his hand at her. "Hello Lynn."  
  
Lynn shook her head. "I find that hard to believe."  
  
Millenia looked irritated. "Look you little brat, I said he's my friend and nothing more!" she snapped. Lynn did not flinch from Millenia's harsh tone. After a year in Millenia's class, she and her classmates had gotten used to her temper. "I have to get rid of this snoopy little brat some how," she thought.  
  
Melfice looked at Millenia and read her mind. "Hey Lynn, look! There's free candy samples down aisle seven," Melfice told her.  
  
"Really?! I have to get there before it's all gone!" Lynn exclaimed and bolted away.  
  
"Thanks," Millenia said in a small voice.  
  
Melfice started to cough as he remembered what the little girl just asked. "Cough... no... cough... problem... cough."  
  
Millenia joined him soon. "Cough... do...you want... cough... to get some dessert?"  
  
The two finally managed to get the coughing under control. "Sure, strawberry creamed cheese pie?" Melfice suggested.  
  
"Sure," Millenia agreed and the two went to the frozen dessert section in silence.  
  
The two grabbed the pie from the desserts section and went over to the cashier. The cashier checked their items and gave the two their total. The two gave the cashier the money and left when they got their change. They then headed back to Millenia's house without saying a word to each other. When they got to Millenia's house, they got dinner started and only spoke to each other when it was absolutely necessary like when Melfice had to ask where she kept the salt and such.  
  
By the time the two finished dinner and setting up the table, everyone arrived. Their nostrils were assaulted by the smell of browned pork that was broiled in mushroom soup. Roan entered the dining room with a smile on his face. "Some thing smells really good," he stated.  
  
"Oh good, you're all here. Sit down and let's start eating," Millenia offered. Millenia sat down next to Melfice. Roan, Tio, and Lance soon followed. Melfice and Millenia watched the three take a sample of their food and waited for them to swallow. "So, what do you think? Melfice helped me cook."  
  
Roan's eyes were brighter than usual. "This is really good. What is this meal called?"  
  
"It's called Cream of Mushroom Pork," Melfice answered.  
  
Millenia giggled. "I'm glad you like it. How about you Tio, Lance?"  
  
"It is very delicious," Tio smiled. "I did not know that the two of you could cook."  
  
"I like it. Thank you for the meal," Lance said in his usual monotone voice.  
  
"Yes, thank you for the meal," Roan and Tio added.  
  
"Oh it's nothing," Millenia replied and continued eating.  
  
"So, did you guys get a hold of Paulk?" Melfice asked in the middle of dinner.  
  
"Yes, me and Tio told him that we are staying here. We also have some great news." Roan paused and gestured for Tio to continue.  
  
"The Granasaber Ship had been finished. When we contacted Sir Paulk, he said that Ryudo and Skye just left with the Granasaber to look for us. Sir Paulk said that he would try to contact Ryudo and let him know to pick us up here," Tio announced.  
  
Millenia stood up and walked over to the fridge. "Good. I never liked those Skyways. They're so slow. It just seems to take forever to get somewhere. Hey, anyone for strawberry cream cheese pie?"  
  
"Sure," the others nodded.  
  
Melfice stood up from his chair and went over to the cup boards. He took out some saucers and new, clean forks for everyone. "Let me give you a hand."  
  
"What about Elena?" Lance inquired.  
  
"Oh, she is not coming with Ryudo. Paulk said she hurt her leg," Roan answered.  
  
"Was she all right?"  
  
"Paulk said it was nothing bad and that he got a doctor to treat her."  
  
Lance paused for a moment and then hurried out of the room. "I'll be back."  
  
Tio frowned. "What is wrong with him?"  
  
"And he didn't even get to try the pie..." Millenia said softly.  
  
***  
  
Lance ran down the street while he cursed to himself. He then jumped high in the air and landed on a small building's rooftop to conceal himself should the others try to follow him. He ran to the end of the rooftop and jumped to another and another to get to his destination. Before long, he was on top of the Liligue Hospital and jumped down to the ground.  
  
He entered the hospital and strode towards the receptionist. "Is Doctor Drew here? If so, I would like to speak to him, in the room."  
  
The receptionist knew who the Ninja was. "Welcome back Mister Lance. Doctor Drew is here but he is on break. I will inform him of your arrival."  
  
"Good." He turned around with his black, leather trench coat billowing around in the process and headed down a hall. Lance walked up the stairs at the end of the hall and went in the first room to his right. As he entered the room, he heard a familiar squeak.  
  
"Konril?"  
  
A small, cat like creature covered in white fur and with a red, light bulb like tail crawled out from under the room's patient's bed. It looked up to the visitor and squealed happily. Lance lowered his mask and watched Konril the Carro climb up to his shoulder and nuzzle his now exposed cheek with its head.  
  
"How are you Konril? Have you been good?"  
  
The Carro made its usual cute little noise and nodded its head as if it understood what Lance said.  
  
"That's good. Otherwise, you wouldn't get this present."  
  
Presents from Lance only meant one thing to the Carro; Poff Nuts. Lance reached inside his trench coat and took out a Poff Nut. Konril grabbed it from his hand with its mouth and went to the corner of the room to devour it. Lance chuckled at the Carro and turned his attention to the room's sleeping patient.  
  
The patient was a girl about a year younger than him. She had long, raven black hair that reached her waist. Beneath the bed covers and that ugly hospital gown, she had a slender, perfect figure. She had a few wires and gadgets wrapped around her right wrist. The wires led to a machine, which measured her pulse, stood next to her bed.  
  
Lance walked over to the girl and ran a finger down her cheek slowly and smoothly. "I'm here." He kissed her lips softly and then stared at her with those hopeful ruby red eyes... hopeful that she would wake up. But she did not, she had been in a deep sleep or a coma rather for a year now. Lance took her hand and held it fiercely. "Rhea..." 


	21. Blazed Up Melpomene

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty One  
  
Lance ran his fingers through Rhea's raven black hair. "I found her Rhea. I found her like I always said I would." Lance sighed heavily and pulled up a chair to Rhea's bed. He sat down and watched her.  
  
Konril finished eating its Poff Nut and ran up to Lance. It jumped onto his lap and whined.  
  
The Ninja chuckled and smiled weakly at the Carro. "Yeah, I know. I wish she'd wake up too." Lance turned his head towards the door as he heard it creak a bit. A doctor entered the room. Lance nodded his head at the doctor. "Doctor Drew."  
  
"Hello Mister Lance," Drew greeted and stood beside the Ninja.  
  
"How is she doctor?"  
  
Drew knew Lance called him just to ask him that. "No improvement. Her condition had no change at all since you left last time."  
  
"Any idea when she'd wake up?"  
  
"No. For now, we can only hope and pray."  
  
The Ninja remained silent. "Hope? Pray? To whom? I never believed in Granas or Valmar and even if I did, they're both dead," he thought.  
  
A nurse stuck her head through the door. "Mister Lance, you have a visitor," she informed.  
  
Konril climbed up to Lance's shoulder. Lance stood up from his chair and faced the nurse. "A visitor? Who is it?"  
  
"She said her name is Millenia. Should I let her come in?"  
  
Lance pondered for a moment. "Sure, go get her."  
  
"Okay." The nurse left to get Millenia.  
  
"By the way Doctor, did you receive the money I sent you for keeping Rhea here in the hospital?" Lance asked.  
  
"Yes, we did. Well, I'll leave you for now. If we pick up any improvements or even a slight change from her condition, we'll let you know," Drew said and exited the room.  
  
A few moments later, Millenia came in and was a bit surprised to see where Lance had disappeared to. "So, this is where you went." She looked at the sleeping girl on the bed. "Who is she?" she asked curiously.  
  
Lance gave Millenia a blank look and took his seat beside Rhea's bed to watch over her. "Her name is Rhea."  
  
Millenia walked over to Lance and stood next to him. "Relative? Friend? Or someone special?"  
  
"...someone special."  
  
"What happened to her? How did she end up here?"  
  
Lance did not answer. He and Konril just continued to watched Rhea.  
  
Millenia arched an eyebrow and started to get impatient. "Well?"  
  
"What are you doing here?" Lance asked coldly.  
  
"Me and the others were curious why you just ran off like that so we all left my house to look for you."  
  
"How did you find me?"  
  
Millenia winked and smiled. "That's a secret."  
  
Lance frowned at her and remained silent.  
  
"Now it's your turn to answer my question. What happened to Rhea?"  
  
Lance gave Millenia a quizzical look and wondered how she managed to find him but he figured she would not tell him. He decided to drop that subject for now and tell her Rhea's story. "Selene and her Cathedral Knights did this to her. Remember that destroyed city we passed by before spending the night at the Iga Ninja Fortress?"  
  
Millenia nodded her head. "Yes."  
  
"Selene attacked that city, Minalin, because she suspected it of harbouring a piece of Valmar. No one admitted that they were possessed so Selene just decided to burn the city down along with its people. Rhea was one of her many victims."  
  
Millenia did not know what to say. It was sad and tragic to see a girl in a coma. But, it would be awkward to sympathize with Lance, the cold hearted Ninja who had no emotions in his eyes. She was surprised that someone such as he had a beautiful girl like her. Sure, Lance was handsome but he had the personality of a brick wall. Millenia just decided to say nothing.  
  
Lance looked at Millenia and read her mind. He smiled a little. "Rhea was the daughter of Minalin's Chamberlain. My clan served the Chamberlain and I was Rhea's bodyguard for a little while."  
  
"I see. Well, I better get going and tell the others you're okay," Millenia announced.  
  
"Millenia?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't tell anyone about her." The statement was more of a command than a request.  
  
"Sure, I won't," Millenia agreed and left the Ninja alone.  
  
---  
Lance entered the Iga Ninja Fortress. He had been away from his clan for some time from a scouting mission and he was glad that he had finally returned. Lance looked around the fortress and frowned. The place was empty and quiet. There were no Ninja stationed at the look out towers, which was a very rare occurrence. There should be little children running around while chasing each other with wooden katanas. There should be Ninja around his age in the yard that should be training but there were none. The fortress was dead quiet.  
  
"Master Hanzo!! Nekura!!" Lance yelled but received no answer. The turquoise haired man then heard a small noise and quickly unsheathed the Falchion. "Who's there?!" he demanded coldly.  
  
An old woman stepped out from a bush. "Lance," she gasped.  
  
"Mother!" Lance cried as he sheathed his katana. He ran up to Hibiki and hugged her. "Where is father and everyone else?"  
  
Hibiki looked down on the ground, her eyes full of grief and worry. "Hanzo and Nekura went to Minalin. All of the men and a few young women left with them. The only ones that are here are women and their children."  
  
Lance looked shocked. "What? Did some thing happen to the city?"  
  
"The Chamberlain summoned your father and the whole force. Selene and the Cathedral Knights of the Granas Church attacked the city because it failed an examination of heresy. Hanzo and the others went there to defend it from them." She put her trembling hands on his shoulders and looked up to him. "Your father and brother had been gone for a long time. They should've been back by now. Lance, I fear for the worst."  
  
Lance put his hands over hers. "Mother, I'll go to Minalin to see what happened."  
  
"No, it's too dangerous. Your father told us to stay put no matter what."  
  
"No, he told YOU to stay put. I just got here," he corrected with a smile. Lance took a step backwards. "Mother, I'm going down there to see what has become of the others... but... but if I don't come back, please leave the fortress with the others and go somewhere else. Selene and her Knights might find you here."  
  
"Be careful out there Lance."  
  
"I will," he assured her and left the fortress.  
  
The forest seemed nothing but a blur of green as Lance made a mad dash through the forest. The Ninja jumped over a patch of ferns and continued to run. His dark blue Ninja suit mixed with the scenery and soon became one with the shadows. "Please be okay."  
  
Destroyed... was the only word in Lance's head when he reached the once prosperous city of Minalin. All of the buildings were burned to the ground and were nothing but ashes and rubble. Men, women, and children lay on the streets and were covered with blood and gashes. Lance walked through the city of ruins in search of his clan. Before long, he found a Ninja half buried by debris. He ran towards the Ninja and knelt beside him. "Sogetsu!!" He grabbed the huge piece of metal that pinned Sogetsu's legs with both hands and tossed it aside. "Sogetsu!! Wake up!!"  
  
Sogetsu slowly opened his eyes and frowned. "Lance?"  
  
"I'm back from my mission! Hang in there!"  
  
Sogetsu shook his head and coughed up some blood. "No... you must... leave... Selene might find you..."  
  
Lance closed his eyes, concentrated, and put a hand on Sogetsu's forehead. "Spirits of life, shed your holy light," he whispered as he casted an Alhealer but it had no effect on the fallen Ninja.  
  
"Forget... about me... leave..."  
  
"I can't just leave you and the others here."  
  
"Everyone is... dead... the Cathedral Knights were... too strong for us..."  
  
"NO!" Lance stood up and shook his head defiantly.  
  
"Good bye Lance..." Sogetsu smiled for the last time as death claimed his life.  
  
Lance sank on the ground on his knees as he fought back the tears that threatened to flood his ruby red eyes. "Everyone is gone; Father, Nekura, the Clan, and Rhea... Rhea!" Lance stood up quickly and bolted towards Rhea's house. He was so caught up with trying to find his Clan that he had forgotten about her. Rhea was probably dead along with everyone else but he had to see it with his own eyes.  
  
Before long, Lance reached Rhea's mansion. Like everything in the city, the mansion was also burned down to the ground. Lance looked at the huge pile of burnt wood in front of him. He wondered how he was suppose to find Rhea. It would take an entire search party to sift through the rubble and remove any people that were buried underneath it. Everything seemed hopeless.  
  
The Ninja stared at the pile of debris in front of him. He then felt some thing tug at his foot and looked down. He saw a Carro with a frantic look on its face. "Konril? Where's Rhea?"  
  
The Carro whined and ran away. Lance decided to follow it. Konril led Lance to the courtyard and there he found Rhea. Rhea lay next to a broken mermaid statue. Her arms and legs were full of wounds and gashes. There was a cut on the back of her head that bled slowly and blood stained her long raven, black hair. The Ninja raced to her side, knelt down, and put a hand on her cheek.  
  
"Rhea?" Lance whispered as softly as he could muster.  
  
Konril walked up to Rhea and nuzzled its head against her other cheek.  
  
"Come on, you have to open your eyes. You can't leave me like everyone else did. Please..." He picked her up from the dirty ground and cradled her fragile body in his arms. "...don't go." Konril jumped onto Rhea's stomach and looked at Lance and then Rhea. "See, even your Carro doesn't want you to go either."  
  
Rhea slowly opened her eyes and looked up to Lance's ruby red. "Lance?" Her voice was barely above whisper.  
  
He smiled underneath his mask from relief. "Yes, I'm here."  
  
"Lance, the Cathedral Knights... they..."  
  
"Ssshhh, I know."  
  
Rhea tried to reach for Lance's cheek with her hand to pull his mask down. She wanted to see his face, his smile one more time but she was too weak to do so. The Ninja pulled down his mask for her and held her hand against his cheek. "I'm glad you're here... I'm glad I could see you one more time..."  
  
Lance felt sharp thorns prick his heart. "Don't say that... everything will be better. I won't let you leave me."  
  
"Lance, please promise me that you won't forget me."  
  
"I won't. How could I? I owe you my heart and soul."  
  
"Good. I'm happy... Lance I..." She smiled and closed her eyes as she felt the world fade away from eyes and her mind.  
  
"Rhea?" Lance checked her pulse. She was still alive but barely. "Rhea... no...." The Ninja looked up to the sky and screamed until his lungs could take no more. He buried his face in her chest and sobbed uncontrollably as torrents of tears flooded his ruby red eyes. His actions would have been labelled as weak and unfit for a Ninja but he did not care. Everything was just too much to bare.  
  
Lance felt something snapped inside him, something burn, and something scream. He felt a powerful surge of energy flow through his veins. He opened his eyes and found that he was bathe in a dark red aura. "What's happening to me?" He then gasped as he felt something trying to crawl out of his back. A pair of black demon wings sprouted from his back. "What am I?" Lance slid his arms under Rhea's body and picked her up gently. He stood up from the ground and looked up to the sky. "It doesn't matter what I am... I have to save Rhea." Lance let Konril latch onto his shoulder and with a mighty flap, he took to the sky.  
  
Lance soared through the sky in search of help. He passed by Minalin and the Iga Ninja Fortress but found no one. Ahead of the Fortress, the Ninja found a group of women and children that lay in a puddle of blood. "Mother! No... Selene probably found them when they left the Fortress. Selene!! You bitch!! I swear I'm going to hunt you and your Cathedral Knights down and kill you all!!" he cried in his mind.  
  
After a few minutes, Lance reached Liligue and found what he needed. He landed in an alley so no one would see his demonic wings. "What am I suppose to do with these wings?" His question was answered when the wings materialized into a black, leather trench coat. "Okay... that's good." The Ninja hurried out of the alley and went to the hospital. When he got there, he busted through the doors and yelled for help. "I need a doctor! My friend here is dying!!" Any doctors and nurses that were around him immediately ran to him to help.  
---  
  
Konril jumped off from Lance's shoulder and landed on Rhea's bed. The Ninja stood up and brushed Rhea's bangs out of her eyes. "I have to get going now."  
  
Konril whined.  
  
"You watched over Rhea now. I need to go. I need to get even with the Cathedral Knights. They must pay for what they've done to us." He kissed Rhea on the lips and then pulled up his mask to cover the bottom half of his face. "I'll be back soon." With that, he left the room.  
  
***  
  
Nekura sat on top of a giant stone gargoyle high above on a building. His wounds had finally healed and it was time to prowl again. He laughed at the scene below him.  
  
"Please sir, please lend me a loaf of bread. I promise I'll pay you back, I swear it. I really need it. My children had not eaten for days so please..." a lady begged.  
  
The merchant in front of her scoffed. "Look lady, I'll only give you bread if you show me some money."  
  
"I'm sorry sir but I don't have any. My husband used to used support our family but he got killed last year when one of Valmar's monsters attacked him."  
  
"I don't care what your excuses are. The thing is, no money equals no bread. Now, get lost you bum!"  
  
The lady reluctantly left with her head down. Her poor children would go to bed without any food again.  
  
Nekura laughed sadistically. "These humans are just pitiful. Look at them, instead of helping each other, they care about nothing except green pieces of paper or gold coins. These creatures don't deserve to live. They are a plague to their own world. They must be exterminated... once I deal with the Geohound and his friends. With them out of the way, I can do as I please. But where could they be? They're not here in Liligue... I should look some where else." Nekura stood up and blasted to the sky. "This time, you won't win."  
  
***  
  
Gatta walked down an empty hall and then turned to an adjacent corridor. In front of him was a huge holding cell with the citizens of St. Heim in it. He smiled sinisterly as he watched them cower in fear. He then turned his attention to a mother who tried to calm her crying daughter.  
  
"Don't worry dear, everything will be okay. We'll get out of here some how," the mother said gently.  
  
"I don't like this place mommy..." the little girl sobbed.  
  
One of the prisoners glared at Gatta. "You monster!! Why are you doing this to us? What have we ever done to you to deserve this treatment?!"  
  
Gatta laughed. "We're doing this because we're going to restore peace back to this world."  
  
"By locking us up in here?!"  
  
Gatta put a hand under his chin. "Tell me, why were your lives so prosperous...?"  
  
The prisoners frowned at his question. "What?!"  
  
Gatta narrowed his eyes at the people in front of him. "Was it not because of Granas? Granas gave you lands, this city, you owed him everything. And what did you people do to him in return? You deserted him when you found out he's dead."  
  
"We had to move on with our lives. You can't expect us to worship a dead god. Besides, even without Granas, we recovered from our losses and continued to live after Valmar attacked us. We don't need these Gods anymore."  
  
"Just because your lives are all better doesn't mean you can ignore the rest of the world. There is still much suffering in the world. There are people out there who have not recovered from their misfortune. We plan on solving this problem by giving Granas back to the people. With Granas back, we can purge Darkness and end all suffering."  
  
"Bring Granas back? What for? People would lose their passion to live their lives if Granas would give them everything they wanted. Isn't it more rewarding when you achieve something on your own, not because some God gave it to you?" one of the prisoners asked.  
  
"Watch your tongue!" Gatta snarled.  
  
"If you're going to bring Granas back to life, why do you keep us here? What of use do we have to you?" another prisoner inquired.  
  
"We need you people here as hostages. You see, there are people that are against our operations. You people will keep them away from us."  
  
"Who wouldn't go up against you? I heard you attacked Garlan and Cyrum!" a man said.  
  
"Oh that... we had our reasons," Gatta replied.  
  
"You killed innocent people! That's not something Granas would want!"  
  
"True... but sacrifices are necessary for revolution," he countered and turned around to leave. "Oh well, I'm getting out of here. I'll tell the Cardinal that those people are alive and well. Ha! Ryudo, the rest is up to you and everything should go according to plan," Gatta thought. 


	22. Bloody Excrement

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Two  
  
Elena woke up from her sleep and sat up from her bed. She looked at her foot and noticed that it was bandaged. "The doctor must have treated it while I was asleep." She looked around the room. "I wonder where Ryudo is?" Elena turned to the night stand and saw Ryudo's note. "It's a note for me." She reached for it and opened it. The note said:  
  
_Elena,  
  
Guess what? The Granasaber was all ready so I decided to take it outside to look for the others. I was going to tell you about all the stuff the engineers did to it but you were having such a nice sleep. Anyway, I hope your leg feels better and I'll be back as soon as I can.  
  
- Ryudo_  
  
Elena sighed and put the note back on the night stand. She stood up from her bed and winced as she felt a small pang of pain on her foot. She then limped to the window and looked up to the clear blue sky. She put one hand on the window and the other over her heart. "Ryudo, please be careful."  
  
***  
  
Millenia tapped her foot impatiently on the floor with her hands on her hips. "It's 9:00 in the morning and Ryudo is still not here. What's taking him so long?" she asked.  
  
"Well, Liligue is a pretty big place," Roan answered, who sat on the couch calmly.  
  
"And Ryudo does not know where you live so it would take him awhile to find us," Tio added.  
  
Melfice sat across from Roan and Tio in the living room. His eyes were fixed on the wall and he had his right hand under his chin as if he was in deep thought.  
  
"You're awfully quiet," Millenia commented.  
  
Melfice snapped from his trance. "Oh, I was just thinking about something."  
  
Millenia arched an eyebrow. "About what?"  
  
"When we re-group, we're going to have to come up with a plan to tackle our enemies. I was wondering if we should attack the Cathedral Knights or that crazy Ninja from the Birthplace of the Gods," Melfice answered.  
  
"Yes, that is right but we cannot really discuss that right now. We are three people and a bird short," Roan said.  
  
"That reminds me... Millenia, did Lance say when he's coming back?" Melfice asked.  
  
"He didn't..." Millenia was cut off when someone knocked on the door. She went up to the door and opened it. It was Lance. "Oh, it's you. I guess that answers one question." She let the Ninja into the house and led him to the living room.  
  
Melfice stood up from the couch and glared at the Ninja. "Where have you been?!"  
  
"I had some thing to take care of," Lance said coldly with a glare of his own.  
  
"You should've told us where you were going and when you were going to come back. If you want to continue travelling with us, you should tell us these things so we don't run around looking for you. You can't just leave and come when you please," Melfice scolded.  
  
Before Lance could retaliate, there was another knock on the door. Millenia answered it and saw the person they had been waiting for. "Ryudo! I'm glad you're finally here," she smiled and then scowled at him. "It's about time!!! We've been waiting forever for you to show up!!"  
  
Ryudo scratched the back of his head and chuckled a bit. "Sorry, I had some problems with the Granasaber."  
  
"What problems?" Millenia cocked up an eyebrow.  
  
"He couldn't program Liligue's co-ordinates to the computer," Skye snickered.  
  
"Shut up Skye!" Ryudo snarled.  
  
Millenia turned around and called out to everyone in the living room. "Hey, Ryudo is finally here!! Get your butts out here!" Millenia stepped into the porch and was soon followed by the others.  
  
"Brother!" Ryudo greeted as he saw Melfice.  
  
"Hey Ryudo, it's good to see you again and in one piece," Melfice told him.  
  
"Hello Ryudo," Tio said.  
  
"It is good to see you," Roan added.  
  
"It's nice to see you guys again. Well come on, let's go. The Granasaber Ship is just outside of the city," Ryudo announced and started to walk. "So, how did you guys get here? Skye said you were attacked by a dragon."  
  
"It's the same dragon that chased us around Raul Hills," Lance remarked.  
  
Millenia shot a scowl at the Ninja. "How come you didn't tell us that?"  
  
Lance returned the red head's scowl. "It wouldn't have mattered if I..."  
  
"Anyway," Melfice interrupted. "We ended up here because we fell down the river when the bridge we were crossing was attacked by the dragon. We washed up in a forest and then we went to Lance's Ninja Fortress. We spent the night there and finally got here the day after."  
  
"What about you Mister Ryudo? What happened to you and Elena after you got trapped in the Birthplace of the Gods?" Roan asked.  
  
The group finally reached the gates of Liligue. Ryudo pointed some thing ahead of them. "Hey! Look, there's the Granasaber Ship. Wait until you see what Roan's engineers did to it."  
  
Millenia ran ahead of everyone. "Last one to the ship is a rotten eagle egg!"  
  
"Hey! Wait up you cheater!" Melfice called out and went after Millenia.  
  
"No way I'm getting there last," Ryudo said and followed Melfice with Roan, Tio, and Lance right behind him.  
  
***  
  
Nekura stared at the gates of the city that stood in front of him and the two guards that guarded it. "Ah, so this is Cyrum Kingdom. It's rumoured that the Roan who helped defeated Valmar lives here. If I find him, he could tell me where that Geohound, Ryudo, is... before I kill him." Nekura chuckled at the thought of his katana, Zankuro, slicing and dicing anything that stood in his path.  
  
The two knights at the gate stared at Nekura. He had been standing around and doing nothing else. They wondered what was happening in his head. The two of them and the rest of Cyrum's knights had been ordered to be on a look out for a man with long, black hair and dressed in a purple Ninja gi and Nekura fit the description. The two decided to approach the Ninja and question him.  
  
"Sir, would you please come with us. We've got a few questions to ask," the first knight requested.  
  
"Gee, let me think," Nekura replied in a mocking tone and put a hand under his chin. "Uh... um... how about no." He quickly put an arm forward and shot a beam at the knight. The knight flew towards the wall and let out a pained groan.  
  
The second knight drew his sword. "Stay right there! Don't move! We don't want any unnecessary violence here!!" He looked at his companion from the corner of his eye. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm alive," the first knight replied.  
  
"Go get some back up and inform the other knights of his presence."  
  
"Will do." The first knight got up and ran back to the city.  
  
Nekura chuckled. "You're going to sic an entire army against little old me? That's not fair." He levitated a few feet from the ground. "Well, I'm going to invite some of my friends and make a great big party." Nekura raised a hand in the air and a ball of purple energy formed around it. "Creatures of the Dark, come forth and wreak havoc!" he yelled and threw the energy ball at the ground. As soon as the energy ball hit the ground, a black portal appeared and a Magna Valmar emerged out of it. The Dark Ninja smiled at the knight sadistically. "Meet my friend. I hope you two get to know each other real well."  
  
"What are you doing? Where are you going?!" the knight demanded.  
  
"I've got a meeting to attend to," Nekura answered and flew towards the city.  
  
"Wait! Come back!" the knight called out and then immediately turned around as he heard the Magna Valmar growl. "Damn! It's one of these things again!"  
  
***  
  
"So what do you guys think?" Ryudo asked everyone about the Granasaber Ship. The group just had a tour around the ship and were now back in the bridge.  
  
"Impressive," Melfice commented.  
  
"It is amazing how much work the engineers have done in a short amount of time," Tio added.  
  
"I can't wait to fire the De Esperanza at any dragon that Gatta sic on us. I'll bet it'll roast them good," Millenia remarked.  
  
"I knew you'd say some thing like that," Ryudo chuckled.  
  
"Too bad Lance sits on the weapon station," Skye chortled.  
  
Millenia glared at Skye. "Shut up bird!"  
  
"How much longer till we get to Cyrum?" Roan asked.  
  
Ryudo went over to his computer terminal and checked the screen. "According to the auto pilot, about half an hour."  
  
"Will it be okay for you guys if I retire to my room and leave the ship in auto pilot?" Tio asked with a fake smile on her lips.  
  
"Sure," the others nodded.  
  
"Thank you." Tio turned around and went to the warp platform.  
  
The others watched Tio leave the room and then went to their own stations. Ryudo sat down on his chair and wondered how Elena was doing. Was she awake and waiting for her? Was her leg healed? He thought about the promises they made to each other back in the Birthplace of the Gods. He promised her that he would come for her and she promised him that she would wait for him when everything is back in order. He just hoped that he would not wait very long to fulfil his promise.  
  
Melfice and Millenia sat next to each other and talked about various things. The two had become quite close since they first met even though they did not realize it.  
  
Lance checked his computer to learn more about the ship's weapon system. Cathedral Knights, Nekura, Rhea, and Elena would not leave his mind. All of them troubled his mind so he decided to bury himself in the computer.  
  
Roan observed everyone. They all had some thing to do or to think about. He had nothing to do but he thought about Tio. He wondered what was wrong with her. All of them had a nice breakfast, courtesy of Melfice and Millenia, and a good rest before they left Liligue. How could she be tired? Curious, he left the bridge silently and warped to the living quarters. Roan went down the hallway and knocked on Tio's door.  
  
"Who is it?" Tio asked from inside.  
  
"It is Roan," the Young King answered. "May I come in?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Roan pushed a red button to his right and the door slid open. He entered Tio's room and found her by the window. She just stood there and her amber yellow eyes were fixed on the clouds that passed by. "I... Tio... I came to see if every thing was okay."  
  
"I... am... alone..." Tio whispered.  
  
Roan frowned. "What?"  
  
Tio turned around and sat on her bed. "I am alone," she said, a little louder so Roan could hear.  
  
Roan sat down next to her. "What do you mean Tio? I am afraid I do not understand."  
  
Tio sighed and stood up. "Elmo gave me back the memories that were stolen from me. I learned a lot about my past." Tio went over to a small table and ran her fingers through the flowers in the vase. "I used to be human just like you. When I was little, a man managed to kidnap me and turn me to what I am now." The Automata strode towards the window and stared at the clouds again. "I endured a lot of pain from the experiments and tests those scientists performed on me," she sniffed. "But the worst part is that I never got to live my life as a normal girl or got to see my parents again. I miss them so much now and I never got to say good bye or tell them how much I love them." She faced Roan. "I will never see them again Roan. I am alone."  
  
Roan gave Tio a sympathetic look. "I am very sorry to hear that Tio... but you are not alone. You have us. Your friends are your family now."  
  
"I know. That is what I keep telling myself but it hurts so much."  
  
"I know how you feel. It hurts a lot but it will get better. I have lost my mother too when I was little. Well, I will leave you now and hope you feel better."  
  
"Thank you Roan... for coming out here and talking to me."  
  
"Anytime Tio," Roan smiled and left the room. He walked down the hallway and headed back to the bridge. When Roan got to the bridge, he sat down on the pilot's seat and stared at the horizon. Cyrum was just twenty minutes away and he could already spot it. He then noticed some thing ahead of them. From a distance, smoke rose to the sky and soon purple pillars of light. "Some thing is wrong out there. What is happening?"  
  
The others caught sight of what was going on ahead of them and strode towards Roan. "Whoa, what's with the fireworks?" Millenia asked.  
  
"Do you think the city is under attack?" Melfice told everyone.  
  
"I've got two guesses," Skye replied.  
  
"Elena... oh no! I left her there all by herself," Ryudo thought.  
  
"We have to hurry! My people and the city could be in terrible danger!" Roan cried.  
  
"You said it Roan but I don't know how to drive this thing," Ryudo said.  
  
"But I do." Tio warped into the bridge and ran to her seat. "Everyone, please sit down and fasten your seat belts. I will put the Granasaber Ship in hyper drive mode." Everyone did as they were told and felt the ship move faster. "Do not worry Roan, we will get there in no time."  
  
***  
  
Elena tapped the pencil in her hand against the study table. She had been working on what she should name her song, the same song that Ryudo saw. "Oh, what should I call it? How about... no, that will not work." She stood up from her chair with an irritated groan and rubbed her temple. "Come on, think. Wait! I know..."  
  
The door in her room burst open and Paulk charged in. "Lady Elena, please forgive my intrusion but I have some urgent news."  
  
Elena turned around to face the knight and smiled at him. "It is okay. What is wrong Paulk? You look really worried."  
  
"Before Lord Ryudo left, he told us to be on the look out for a man with long black hair and dressed in a purple Ninja gi. We found the man and he attacked our guards at the gate. Now, he had breached the city and is causing havoc. I came here to warn you and to inform you that a few guards will be here shortly to watch over you."  
  
"It is probably that man who attacked us in Garlan and killed Elmo... aahh!" Elena shrieked from surprise as a deafening explosion rang from outside.  
  
"Curses! He had reached the castle!" Paulk looked at the door. "Where are those guards?"  
  
"It is okay Sir Paulk. I will be fine on my own. Please go, your men outside need you."  
  
Paulk hesitated but decided to do what Elena requested. "Okay. Please be careful and stay here."  
  
"You be careful too."  
  
"Farewell." Paulk nodded and left.  
  
Elena sat down on her bed and clasped her hands together over her heart. "That man is back... I wonder what he wants. Ryudo, wherever you are, please hurry. You have to come back." Elena heard another explosion, which was followed by screams of Paulk's knights. "I have to help them. I cannot wait for Ryudo." The young singer stood up from her bed and picked up her Guardian Staff from the closet.  
  
Elena exited her room and went to the courtyard. She looked around and found Paulk and Nekura in a sword fight. She hid behind a bush and watched the battle. Nekura had the upper hand against Paulk. As a Ninja, he was much faster and as a Valmar incarnate, he was much stronger. Nekura looked like he was not even trying. He just merely toyed with the knight.  
  
"Is that all?" Nekura asked.  
  
"You will never get passed me!" Paulk hissed.  
  
"Really?" Nekura stepped back and shot a beam at Paulk.  
  
The knight screamed in agony and flew to the other end of the courtyard where his men also lay. "King Roan... please forgive me..." he muttered and passed out.  
  
The Ninja narrowed his eyes at the knights and put an arm forward. "Pitiful humans, your meaningless existence ends here!"  
  
"STOP!!" Elena shouted as she ran out of the bush.  
  
"Huh?" Nekura turned around and saw Elena. "Well, well, look who's here."  
  
"Please stop this! You have no right to do this!" Elena protested.  
  
"All right, I'll stop." Nekura put his hands up in the air. "But you'll have to kill me first!" Quickly, he shot a purple beam at Elena.  
  
Elena dove out of the way and silently cried out in pain as her foot hit the ground. Her newly healed foot started to hurt again. "I am in no condition to fight but I do not have a choice," she thought and stood up slowly.  
  
"She's struggling just to stand up. She must be sick or some thing. Now is my chance to kill her before she becomes a real threat," Nekura told himself mentally and unsheathed the Zankuro.  
  
Elena waved her staff at Nekura and casted a Crackle to start off the fight. "Oh, Holy spikes of ice, please come to strike!" Spikes of ice erupted from the ground and pierced Nekura's arm.  
  
The Dark Ninja ran a finger through the cut and licked the blood off. "Hmph, you'll have to do better than that. Brace yourself!" He ran towards Elena and punched her in the stomach. He then knocked her off the ground with a sweep kick.  
  
Elena screeched from the combination of Nekura's assault and the pain that wracked her foot.  
  
"DIE!" Nekura raised his katana into the air with both hands and brought it down but Elena parried it with her Guardian Staff.  
  
Elena kicked Nekura off and rolled away when he stumbled backwards. Elena got up and rubbed her foot. It hurt more than before now. "I cannot fight any longer. I must defeat him now," she said in her mind.  
  
Nekura levitated a few feet from the ground and sheathed the Zankuro. He put both hands forward and fired a huge purple beam at Elena. "DESTRUCTION LIGHT!!"  
  
Elena did not avoid the attack in time. "AAAAAAHHHHH!!!" she shrieked as the attack enveloped her entire body. She sank to the ground and spat out blood. The attack tattered her clothes and drained most of her energy. "He is too strong... what do I do?"  
  
"The answer is simple, just stay there and die!" Nekura laughed and threw a shuriken at her. The shuriken cut her left shoulder. "It was a fatal mistake to come out here on your own and challenge me." He threw another shuriken at her and this time, it cut her right shoulder. "Ha! This is too easy! Come on, where's that amazing power of yours? Show me the power that you displayed back in Garlan!" He threw one last shuriken at her and pierced her right wrist.  
  
Elena cried out in pain and dropped her Guardian Staff. She held her right wrist with her left hand and backed away slowly.  
  
"Running away now?" Nekura hurled a Burn! spell at her.  
  
Elena closed her eyes to embrace the pain but the attack did not come. She opened her eyes and saw that her Guardian Staff had been destroyed. "My staff!"  
  
"It's your turn!" The Dark Ninja took out his katana and dashed forward.  
  
"Now is my chance." Elena took out a red sphere and chucked it at Nekura. "Here goes my Impact Bomb!" The bomb exploded as soon as it hit the Dark Ninja and knocked him off the ground. Elena put her hands together, closed her eyes, and summoned whatever energy was left in her. "Oh tempted one, return to the world of Darkness!" she chanted. The White Apocalypse bathed Nekura in white destructive light.  
  
"Aaaaahhhhhhh!" Nekura screamed and fell down again before he could fully stand up.  
  
Elena sank on the ground on her knees and panted heavily. "Did I stop him?"  
  
Nekura got up from the ground and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "That was quite an attack. But, if that's the best you can do, start praying now." He advanced slowly towards Elena with an insane look on his face. "Your life, your story ends here. It's a pity that your friends aren't here to witness it!" He punched Elena on the side of her face.  
  
"Eaygh!" Elena screamed as she fell down on her stomach.  
  
"Ha! I've waited for this ever since you defeated me back in Garlan." He kicked her ribs.  
  
"Uwah!" Elena gasped and spat out more blood.  
  
Nekura grabbed Elena by the throat and raised her off the ground. He looked at her in the eyes and smiled sadistically. "When I'm done with you, your friends are next. I'll kill them all, one by one." He hurled her towards the wall.  
  
"Gaaahhh!" Elena's back slammed into the wall and felt a few bones crack and snap. Elena's body felt numb. She could do nothing but lean against the wall and cough up blood. Her energy had been depleted and her entire body was wracked with tremendous pain. It took whatever energy she had left in her body and mind to stay conscious.  
  
"Bwa ha ha ha ha!" Nekura gave her one of his psychotic smiles and put an arm forward. "It all ends here now. Farewell human." Nekura fired a purple beam at Elena and cackled when her screams filled the courtyard.  
  
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! RYYYYUUUUDDDDOOOO!!!!" Elena shrieked and collapsed on the ground.  
  
"Hmmm... that takes care of that." Nekura turned around to leave but a Burn! spell from above struck the ground in front of him. The Dark Ninja looked up and saw a giant sword in the sky. "It's one of the fabled Granasaber Ships." A big red sphere came out of the Granasaber's rear and was headed straight at him. As the red sphere got closer, Nekura saw that it carried Ryudo, Skye, Roan, Lance, and three more people.  
  
The red sphere landed between Elena and Nekura. Ryudo, with Skye on his shoulder, ran towards Elena to check up on her. Millenia, Roan, Tio, and Melfice immediately took out their weapons and stood between Elena and Nekura protectively.  
  
Lance just stared at the bloody and limp form of Elena with horror in his ruby red eyes. "Elena... no..."  
  
Nekura smirked. "Ha, the whole gang is here but you're la..." he was cut off when a blur of black motion passed by him quickly. The next thing Nekura knew, he flew towards a statue and crashed into it.  
  
Lance, who had kicked Nekura, unsheathed the Falchion and glared ice cold daggers at him. Millenia, Roan, Tio, and Melfice ran to Lance to aid him.  
  
Meanwhile, Ryudo knelt down next to Elena and ran a trembling finger down her cheek. "Elena?" Panic and worry filled Ryudo's heart as he stared at her lifeless form. "Come on, Elena open your eyes. Please open your eyes," he pleaded. He felt sharp thorns prick his heart and the sting of tears in his emerald green eyes as he received no response. "Elena... please... you promised me..." He let out a choked sob. He shook her shoulders a bit to wake her up but her body remained still. "Elena? No! You can't be..." He hesitantly put two fingers on her neck to check her pulse but there was none. 


	23. Fallen Angel

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Three  
  
"No! There's no pulse!! Elena, come on, come on, you've got to live!! You can't leave me just yet!" Ryudo panicked. He checked her pulse again to see if he just imagined that she had none. He placed two trembling fingers on her bleeding right wrist this time and there was still no pulse. "Elena... no.. no... you promised me..." he sobbed silently. Ryudo picked up Elena from the ground and cradled her in his arms. He slapped her cheeks gently to wake her up but her eyes remained closed. "You've got to wake up Elena! Please..."  
  
Skye took off from Ryudo's shoulder. "Ryudo!! Stop panicking!! She's still breathing but barely. She needs help and fast! She's only hanging on by a thread!"  
  
Ryudo tried his best to calm himself down and looked at Elena closely. "She IS still breathing but she'll die soon... if... dammit!! I won't let that happen!" Ryudo took out a Healing Salve and put its contents over Elena's wounds and cuts. The potion had no effects.  
  
"She needs direct medical help! That's stuff won't work! I'll fly to the castle and get a doctor. You carry Elena and bring her inside!" Skye ordered.  
  
"Okay," Ryudo nodded slowly. He stood up from the ground with Elena in his arms. He made a mad dash towards the door but soon stopped dead on his tracks when a boulder in front of him burst to bits.  
  
"Going somewhere?" Nekura chuckled. The Dark Ninja eyed Ryudo and Elena with disgust and hate in his eyes. "I can't believe she's still alive after all of that," he thought.  
  
Millenia and the others ran to Ryudo and stood in front of him protectively. "Ryudo, get inside! We'll cover you!" Millenia suggested.  
  
"Yeah... thanks." The Geohound ran towards the door as fast as he could.  
  
"You're not getting away that easily!" Nekura shouted and threw a shuriken at them but it was intercepted by Roan's Golden Hammer. "Damn! It looks like I'm going to have to get through these rejects first."  
  
"Prepare yourself!" Melfice said. He was about to charge at the enemy but Lance gestured with his hand for him to stop.  
  
Lance glared ice cold daggers at Nekura with raging hell fire burning in his ruby red eyes. "How could you?!" he hissed. "How could you do that to her?!"  
  
Nekura crossed his arms over his chest and ignored Lance's question. "Tell me, who are you?"  
  
"You really don't recognize me, do you?" Lance pulled down his mask to reveal his identity to the enemy. "I am Lance of the Iga Ninja Clan, Shinobi of the Flame! Do you remember me now, huh Nekura?!"  
  
"Lance!! I didn't know you were still alive!!" Nekura gasped.  
  
Millenia, Roan, Tio, and Melfice looked at each other, puzzled, then the two Ninja, and then at each other again. "What? They know each other?!" Roan exclaimed.  
  
"And Lance didn't even tell us!" Melfice remarked.  
  
"What did you expect?!" Millenia scoffed.  
  
"Well Lance, what's it going to be? Are you going to fight me or join me? We always made a great team, didn't we?" Nekura laughed.  
  
"We DID make a great team but that's all over. You're not the Nekura I knew. Why did you fuse yourself with the power of Evil?" Lance demanded.  
  
"It's simple really, I'm going to destroy the source of evil... humans. As long as humans exists, you can NEVER EVER purge evil and hatred from this world," the Dark Ninja answered.  
  
"Have you gone mad? Your motives go against everything we stood and fought for!" Lance said.  
  
"Shyeah... everything we stood and fought for my ass!! Sure we protected the people of Minalin but those simpletons knew nothing of it because we did it from the shadows. We didn't get the praise we deserved! You know what's worse? When the Cathedral Knights attacked Minalin and when we came to help, those fools doubted our help, they feared us even though we were willing to die to save their pathetic lives!"  
  
"Perhaps so but that's the way of the Shinobi. We never fought for fame or praises and we must live our lives in the shadows."  
  
"What do you know!! You're not even a real Ninja! You were just..."  
  
"That's enough!" Lance took out the Falchion. "I'm going to kill you right here, right now!"  
  
"Is this how you would repay me after everything me and the Clan did for you? It's that girl, isn't it? You're going to kill me because of her?"  
  
"Shut up and draw your katana!"  
  
"I've never seen you this mad for a long time. Tsk tsk, don't let rage get the best out of you. Remember our training."  
  
"I really can't stand this guy. Let's all take him out now!" Melfice suggested.  
  
"No! This is my fight," Lance hissed.  
  
"It is my fight too. He killed Elmo and I must avenge her," Tio said.  
  
"Do not count me out either. This man had harmed my country and people!" Roan added.  
  
Nekura drew his Zankuro. "Five against one... that's fine with me. Come on, come at me!! All of you!! Give me everything you've got!!!"  
  
"This is for Elmo. Lotus Flower... bloom!" Tio said and threw a pink energy projectile at the Dark Ninja but he managed to dodge it.  
  
"Golden Hammer... crash!" Roan hurled a giant hammer at Nekura but he parried it with his katana.  
  
Purple balls of lightning formed behind Millenia. She spun around and waved her hand towards Nekura. "DEEP FRIED GOODNESS!" she screeched as the balls of lightning flew towards the Dark Ninja. The balls of lightning circled around their target and formed into a huge, electric purple dome. Nekura was trapped inside the dome while shocked by lightning. After awhile, the dome vanished and left the Dark Ninja staggering.  
  
Melfice ran up to Nekura. "Here's a new attack I made just for the likes of you." He jumped a few feet from the ground and held his sword above his head. "Ha! Hell Cry Slash!" Melfice brought his sword down on his descent but the Dark Ninja blocked the attack with his katana.  
  
Lance put his right arm forward and fire emerged from his palm. "You're finished! Dark Flare!" A huge blast of flame flew out of his right palm and knocked away the Zankuro from Nekura's hand.  
  
Nekura back flipped away quickly towards his katana before Melfice had the chance to cut him down. He picked up his katana and eyed his opponents with hate. "Blast! There's too many!" The Dark Ninja threw a purple energy ball on the ground. "It's time to even the odds." A black portal formed on the ground and two Magna Valmar emerged from it. "Minions of the Dark, attack!" he commanded.  
  
The Magna Valmar charged at Melfice and company. Melfice and Millenia took on one of the Magna Valmar while Roan and Tio fought the other and Nekura and Lance stood a few feet from each other face to face.  
  
***  
  
Ryudo lay Elena gently on her bed. He grabbed the chair from her writing table and pulled it up to her bed. He stroked her cheeks softly and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Just hold on Elena, Skye will be here with a doctor." He sat down, held both of her hands, and gave them a light squeeze. "You have to live. You promised that you'd wait for me." Ryudo closed his eyes and sighed heavily.  
  
A single tear formed in his emerald green eye and slowly made its way down his cheek. His heart was torn with raging, conflicting emotions. His heart burned with rage. He wanted to kill Nekura, he wanted to shove the Granasaber Sword down his throat for harming his angel, his fallen angel. At the same time, his heart was plagued with fear, guilt, and pain. He was afraid that he would lose the woman that taught him what love, kindness, and trust was, the one woman that brought him back to the Light. Ryudo's heart was wracked with guilt, he should have stayed with her instead of leaving her all by herself unprotected. Ryudo heard a soft moan and quickly wiped the tear away.  
  
Elena stirred a bit and her eyes slowly opened. "Ry... Ryudo?"  
  
Ryudo felt his heart skip a beat. "Elena! Elena I..."  
  
"Ryudo... I am so sorry... I could not defeat him... he was too strong..." Elena rasped.  
  
"Don't worry about it. My brother and the others are fighting him right now."  
  
Elena's ruby red eyes started to close again. "So tired... it so dark in here Ryudo... I..."  
  
Ryudo held her hands tighter. "No Elena, keep your eyes open. Come on, keep them open."  
  
"Ryudo I am sorry... but I will always lo..." Elena closed her eyes and passed out again.  
  
"Elena! Talk to me! Open your eyes! Please..." Ryudo panicked. Skye, a doctor, and a nurse then entered the room. Ryudo ran up to the doctor and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Doctor! You've got to help Elena, she's dying quickly! You just have to save her!"  
  
The doctor broke away from Ryudo's hold. "I will Lord Ryudo but I am afraid I will have to ask you to leave us while we treat Lady Elena."  
  
"What?! I can't leave Elena, not now. Leaving her all by herself got her into this mess!" Ryudo protested.  
  
"Ryudo! Get a hold of yourself! The doctor and the nurse need to be alone here with Elena so they can treat her better and faster. Come on, let's wait outside," Skye scolded.  
  
Ryudo knew Skye was right. Reluctantly, he strode towards the door with Skye behind him and gave Elena one final look. "Elena, please, you have to stay alive," he pleaded silently and finally left the room.  
  
***  
  
"The ultimate secret! True Dragon Rise!" Roan ran up to the Magna Valmar and slashed it continuously with his Gladius. After fifteen or so hits, he ended the combo in an upper cut.  
  
"Release wind." Tio raised her Angle Circle above her head and summoned a huge tornado. The tornado picked up the Magna Valmar and hurled it into the sky. The monster went round and round in the air and slammed back on the ground hard when the tornado vanished.  
  
The monster cried out in pain and struggled to stand up but Roan did not give it a chance. "I will tear you to pieces!" he said and casted a Howlslash to finish it off for good.  
  
The other Magna Valmar swung its gigantic arm at Millenia but she ducked and avoided it. Millenia back away a bit and fired two arrows with her Black Angel Bow at the monster's leg. The Magna Valmar snarled angrily and bashed Millenia with its arms. The powerful blow from the attack sent the red head flying towards a tree.  
  
"Hey, that hurts!" Millenia spat out some blood and tried to get up but had a hard time doing so.  
  
The Magna Valmar growled triumphantly and advanced towards its prey.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Melfice put an arm forward and summoned several firebirds. "I'll pound you to a pulp!" The firebirds circled around in the sky and then dove at the Magna Valmar. The monster wailed in pain as it was pummelled continuously. The monster slumped forward and panted heavily. Melfice raced to Millenia's side and silently cursed to himself when he realized his Star Egg did not have any healing spells. "You okay Millenia? Can you stand up? Did you break anything?" After he saw what became of Elena, Melfice had become a bit paranoid and had to make sure for himself that Millenia was one hundred and ten percent okay.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm not dead!" Millenia looked up to him and could see the worry in his emerald green eyes. Her heart leapt with joy at that. Millenia took Melfice's hand when he offered it to her and let him help her stand up. The two then turned towards the monster when they heard it growl at them. "Let's finish this thing off." Millenia bent down to her waist and sprouted a pair of black demon wings on her back. "Chew on this baby," Millenia taunted and used Starving Tongue. The attack sucked the life force out of the monster and transferred it to Millenia to heal her injuries.  
  
The monster stumbled backwards and howled in agony. Millenia loaded an arrow on her Black Angel Bow but Melfice stopped her. "Allow me," he smiled and summoned an attack. "Evil Horn Attack!" Several reddish, brown, curved, horn like structures jut out of the ground and surrounded the enemy. Quickly, the horns clamped down on the target, crushing its every skin and bone. "That takes care of it."  
  
Nekura back flipped away from Lance and looked at Millenia. "The red head has wings too? There's three of them now..."  
  
To Lance, Nekura seemed a bit distracted and decided to take advantage of it. He charged towards him and gave him a mighty kick on the face. The Dark Ninja fell backwards and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. Lance shook his finger at Nekura mockingly. "Never take your eyes off your opponent because you'll never know what they'll do to you until it's too late."  
  
"Arr..." Nekura got up and took to the sky. "A mistake like that is unforgivable," he scolded himself. He then put both arms forward and shot several purple energy beams at Lance.  
  
Lance avoided the assault effortlessly and looked up to his air borne opponent. "You want to take the fight up there? Fine! I believe the time is now," he thought and started to concentrate.  
  
Millenia narrowed her eyes at her turquoise haired comrade. "The energy that Lance is radiating feels familiar. Hmm... so the Ninja will finally show his true colour to us."  
  
"What is Lance doing? Should we help him out?" Melfice asked.  
  
"No, just wait and watch," Millenia answered.  
  
Lance bent down to his waist and let his black leather trench coat materialize into a pair of black demon wings on his back. The Ninja raised both hands above his head and shot several fireballs into the air. The fireballs flew high in the sky and then stopped when their altitude was higher than Nekura's. The fireballs took the shape of shurikens and started to spin real quick. "You're one step closer to Hell!" Lance brought his hands down to command the fire shurikens to rain on Nekura. "Dark Apocalypse!"  
  
Nekura looked up with terror as the fire shurikens headed straight at him. He shielded himself with his arms and let the fire shurikens bombard him as there was not enough time to avoid it. The heat and the pain from the attack was too much to bear for the Dark Ninja and finally let the merciless assault knock him out of the air. Nekura crashed onto a statue and broke it on the impact. He coughed up some blood and struggled to get up.  
  
Lance narrowed his eyes at Nekura. He spread out his wings and crossed his arms over his chest. A carpet of black bats formed beneath his feet and started to lift him up from the ground. "It's time to die... Dark Illusion!" A huge, black portal appeared beneath Nekura. Dark blue energy bats flew out of the portal and pummelled the enemy continuously. After twenty or so hits, the assault stopped and one final, giant energy bat emerged from the portal and exploded when it made contact with the target. The carpet of bats that carried Lance vanished and he glided safely back to the ground.  
  
Nekura plunged his sword into the ground and used it as a support to stand up. His purple Ninja gi was torn apart and he looked like a messier mess than Elena. "I under estimated him..." Nekura reached inside his tattered gi shirt and took out a black sphere. He threw it on the ground and the sphere exploded into a cloud of smoke.  
  
"It is a smoke bomb!" Roan exclaimed and started cough violently along with everyone else.  
  
"Now is my chance..." Nekura sheathed the Zankuro and shot up to the sky.  
  
"Where did Nekura go?" Tio asked when the smoke cleared.  
  
"Dammit! He got away!" Millenia growled.  
  
"With his new powers, I thought the guy would be too arrogant to even carry one of those around," Melfice commented.  
  
"I should've expected that... a Ninja never walks around unarmed with smoke bombs," Lance thought and spread out his wings. "He couldn't have gotten very far," he told himself and took to the air.  
  
"Should we try to follow him?" Roan asked.  
  
"No, forget it. He'll be fine. Let's check up on Elena," Millenia suggested.  
  
"I hope you're right." Melfice put his sword back in its sheath and strode towards the door.  
  
"I will go check on Paulk and the others," Roan said and ran off to the other side of the courtyard with Tio.  
  
Millenia looked up to the sky, towards the direction where Lance took off. "So... it really is you." With a sigh, she turned around and followed Melfice.  
  
Melfice and Millenia entered the castle and headed straight towards Elena's room. The two found Ryudo pacing around the hall and Skye perched on a window.  
  
"How is she?" Melfice asked.  
  
"I don't know... the doctor and his nurse are still treating her wounds and stuff," Ryudo answered. "Where are the others?"  
  
"Roan and Tio went to check up on Paulk while Lance went after Nekura," Millenia replied.  
  
"Nekura? That's the enemy's name?" Ryudo clenched his fists. "I'll remember that name."  
  
The doctor then stepped out of the room and into the hallway. He cleared his throat to grab everyone's attention. "You may now see Lady Elena."  
  
Ryudo did not waste any time. He entered the room and felt daggers strike deep into his heart as he lay his eyes on Elena. Her entire left arm was bandaged. There was a pole to her right with a blood bag, which was connected to her right arm. She also had an oxygen mask to help her breathe easier. "Is she going to be okay?" Ryudo asked hesitantly.  
  
"She lost a lot of blood, her leg injury got worse, she broke two ribs, and also has several fractures on her left arm," the doctor answered. "With time, she'll be back to normal but she'll need all of your support."  
  
Ryudo walked to the side of Elena's bed. "You can count on that. Any idea when she'll wake up?"  
  
"She had really exhausted herself. It is best that you don't disturb her in her sleep right now." The doctor strode towards the study table in the room where his bag and all of his equipment lay like his handy dandy stethoscope. "I am sorry to say this but I have to go now. Many people were injured from the attack and I just received a message that they really need me back at the hospital."  
  
"I understand," Ryudo sighed and watched the doctor and the nurse leave the room. "Thanks for the help."  
  
"She will be okay," the doctor assured the Geohound before he exited the room.  
  
Melfice, Millenia, and Skye entered the room. Melfice and Millenia gave Elena a sympathetic look and then Ryudo. The three were itching to ask how Elena was but decided to wait for Ryudo to speak first.  
  
Ryudo looked at his companions and read their minds. "The doctor said she'll be okay within time." The Geohound punched the wall. "Dammit! This is all my fault! I shouldn't have left her!" he growled to himself.  
  
"Ryudo, it's not your fault," Melfice said.  
  
"It IS his fault," a voice hissed coldly. All heads shot towards the door and saw Lance standing there with his arms crossed, his face blank with emotions, and his black demon wings disguised as a trench coat. The Shinobi of the Flame walked into the room and glared daggers at the Geohound. "How could you let this happen to her? I thought you were suppose to protect her." Lance went to Elena's other side. He put his right hand on her forehead and then quickly took it away. "Don't worry Elena, I won't let anything happen to you again."  
  
Ryudo felt a wave of jealousy. "Get away from her. Who do you think you are?!"  
  
Lance chuckled bitterly and threw several shurikens at the Geohound. The shurikens met their marks before Ryudo could do anything and the next thing he knew, he was pinned to the wall.  
  
"What is this guy doing?" Melfice snarled. He took a step forward to knock out the living daylight out of the Ninja but Millenia stopped him.  
  
Lance crossed the room and stood in front of the Geohound. "I'll tell you who the hell I am. I'm Elena's brother." 


	24. Ruby Red

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Four  
  
Ryudo looked at Lance as if he had grown a pair of horns. "What? What did you say?"  
  
Lance pulled his mask down and narrowed his eyes at the Geohound. "You heard what I said."  
  
Skye looked at Lance closely and then Elena. "Hmmm..."  
  
Roan and Tio entered the room and frowned as soon as their eyes fell on Ryudo. "What is going on here?" Roan asked.  
  
"Oh nothing much, except our friend Lance here thinks he's Elena's brother," Ryudo answered.  
  
"Now that you mentioned it, the two of them do share some similar features," Roan said.  
  
"That still doesn't prove anything! A lot of people who aren't even related to each other look alike," Ryudo denied.  
  
"Look at their eyes Ryudo. Elena's, Lance's, and even Millenia's eyes all have the same colour and share the same shine. Not a lot of people have eyes like those," Skye told the Geohound.  
  
Roan, Tio, and Melfice looked at Lance, then Millenia, and finally Elena. "I don't believe it. How come we never noticed this before?" Melfice commented.  
  
"It could be Lance's mask," Tio replied.  
  
"That's still not enough! You'll need more than looks and eyes to prove you're Elena's brother," Ryudo grimaced. "Do you have any solid proof?"  
  
". . . . . ." Lance remained silent. Ryudo had him there.  
  
"If Elena ever had a long, lost brother, she would've told me," the Geohound remarked.  
  
"What if she didn't want to tell you?" Lance countered.  
  
A memory shot through Ryudo's head.  
  
_"Have you ever been alone Elena? Hmm... come to think of it, you haven't told me anything about your past or your family."  
  
"I... I really do not remember much about my past..."_  
  
"Lance may not be able to prove that he's Elena's brother but I can," Millenia said.  
  
Ryudo was stunned. "Yo... you believe him too?"  
  
"Yes... the proof is right there." Millenia pointed at Elena.  
  
"I don't get it." Ryudo frowned.  
  
"I'll probe Elena's mind and show you her memories and some of Lance's. If the two of them share the same memories, it'll prove that they're siblings." The red head walked over to Elena's right side. She motioned for the others to come forward. "Come on, I'll show you."  
  
"Hey! Wait!" Ryudo exclaimed.  
  
"What's wrong? Afraid of the truth?" Lance grinned evilly at the Geohound.  
  
"Hell no!" Ryudo hissed. "Get these damn shurikens off of me!"  
  
"Oh." Lance picked the shurikens off the wall and freed the Geohound.  
  
"Lance, stand over to the left side and put your hand on Elena's forehead. For the rest of you, hold each other's hands," Millenia instructed. Everyone did as they were told.  
  
Lance put his hand on Elena's forehead and so did Millenia, on top of his. Melfice held Millenia's other hand while his other hand held Ryudo's. Ryudo then took Roan's hand and Roan reached for Tio's. Tio hesitantly held Lance's free hand and the group formed a circle around Elena's bed.  
  
"Close your eyes," Millenia ordered. "Lance, I'll have to probe your mind too."  
  
"If it proves what I'm saying, so be it. But if you dive any deeper in my head, I'm stopping you," Lance warned.  
  
"Okay, here we go. Whatever happens, don't open your eyes or interrupt me until I say so or we could seriously mess up Elena's head," Millenia announced and a bright red flash lit the room.  
  
---  
"Do you really have to go to work today Papa? It's Saturday," a five year old Elena asked as she ate her bowl of cereals.  
  
A six year old Lance poured more cereals onto his bowl. "Who's going to baby sit us today? It's not Mrs. Kaflutzky, is it? I don't like her, her perfume stinks."  
  
Lance's and Elena's father chuckled. "Now Lance, be nice. Your baby sitter today is Joyce. She lives down the street and should be here any minute. Please be in your best behaviour."  
  
"What?! Not her!! She's the class bully's big sister!" Lance exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, Lance it'll be okay," their father assured.  
  
"I think she's nice," Elena said.  
  
"What do you know? You don't even know her!" Lance snarled.  
  
"I know her!!" Elena insisted.  
  
"No you don't!"  
  
"Yes I do!"  
  
"NO YOU DON'T!"  
  
"YES I DO!"  
  
"Don't! Don't! DON'T!!"  
  
"Do! Do! DO!!"  
  
"Now stop that or I won't get you two anything when I get back home," their father scolded and left the kitchen when he heard a knock on the door. "You two stay right there and no fighting."  
  
"Way to go Elena," Lance hissed.  
  
"You started it," Elena countered.  
  
Before Lance could retaliate and take the argument one step further, their father entered the kitchen with the baby sitter. "Joyce is finally here so I'll be leaving now you two." Their father went to the counter and picked up his briefcase. "Don't I get good bye kisses?" he asked mischievously and knelt down on one knee.  
  
Lance and Elena got off their chairs and ran to their father. Both gave him a hug and then kissed him on the cheek. "Good bye Papa," Elena said.  
  
"Be careful," Lance added.  
  
"I will. Good bye and I'll see you two later." He gave Elena and Lance a hug and a kiss on the cheek each in return and stood up. "Don't give Joyce any trouble, okay?" He waved farewell and left the kitchen through the back door.  
  
"Don't worry about a thing Mister Evann. Your kids are in safe and good hands," Joyce assured.  
  
"Yeah right..." Lance thought bitterly.  
  
"What are we doing for the day, Joyce?" Elena asked curiously as soon as Evann was out of the house.  
  
"I don't know... what do you kids want to do today?" Joyce inquired.  
  
"Can we go to the park? Please? Pretty please?" Elena requested.  
  
The baby sitter turned to Lance, who had gone back to his seat and continued to eat his cereals. "How does that sound to you Lance?"  
  
"It's fine with me," the turquoise haired kid answered shortly and unenthusiastically.  
  
"Okay then, park it is and then how about some ice cream after?" Joyce grinned.  
  
Lance's head perked up and his ruby red eyes suddenly shone with interest. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah, it's on me. You kids prepare your stuff while I do the dishes," Joyce suggested.  
  
"Yay! We're going to the park! I'm going to get my pail and shovel and... and build a sand castle!!!" Elena cried happily and ran out of the kitchen.  
  
Lance was also about to leave the kitchen but stopped as a thought crossed his mind and turned around. "Say, where's your brother... Dallas?"  
  
Joyce rinsed the bowls in the sink and then cleaned them with a soapy sponge. "He's grounded for the weekend. That little brother of mine is a trouble maker. Why do you ask?"  
  
Lance shrugged and cheered for the wonderful news inwardly. "No... nothing. I'll go get my toys now." The six year old whirled around and left the kitchen.  
  
When Joyce finished washing and drying the breakfast dishes, she went into the living room and found Lance and Elena, who waited impatiently on the couch for her with their things. Elena had her pail and shovel while Lance had his various action figures. "You guys ready to have some fun?"  
  
Elena leapt off the couch merrily. "You bet!"  
  
"Let's go then." Joyce ushered the two out of the living room and locked the door to the house. She then took Lance's and Elena's hands. "You guys better stay close to me until we get to the park. The last thing I want is you guys running off the streets." The three walked down the street and reached the small town's one and only park in no time.  
  
The park was small but impressive, at least to the kids. It had a sand box on one corner and a small pond for the ducks at the opposite corner. There was a wooden play structure in the center and monkey bars, slides, and swings around the play structure. There were also a few tall trees in the park that provided shade from the sun's unforgiving heat.  
  
"Yay! We're finally here!" Elena rejoiced and ran towards the sand box. "I'm going to make a castle!"  
  
Lance took his hand away from Joyce's and went to the play structure. "I'm going to go play now." He joined a group of boys around his age who had action figures with them.  
  
Joyce smiled as she watched Lance and Elena enjoyed themselves. This was the second best part of her job; make and watch the kids happy. She really loved her job as a baby sitter. She really loved kids. Some day, she would open up a day care and spend the rest of her life taking care of children. Joyce gave the two a final glance. "It looks like they're going to be okay." She then took out a small book from her back pocket and sat down on a bench to read.  
  
"This is going to be the best sand castle ever!" Elena told herself excitedly. Using her small, plastic shovel, she filled her pail with sand and dumped its contents beside a small mound of sand.  
  
"What are you making?" a voice asked mischievously.  
  
Elena looked up and saw a boy with an evil grin on his face. "A sand castle."  
  
"Sand castle?! Ha!" the kid snorted. "I only see piles of sand, it looks like you're making the Saint Heim Mountains!"  
  
"You're mean!" Elena said.  
  
"If you think that's mean, what do you think of this?!" The kid brought his feet up and stomped on Elena's soon to be sand castle.  
  
Elena watched her work get demolished. She could do nothing but sit and whimper as tears started to well up in her ruby red eyes. "My castle..."  
  
"What do you think of that?" When the kid finished crushing Elena's work, the kid spat on it and laughed maniacally.  
  
Elena did not know what to do except for one thing; cry her lungs out. "WAAAAAHHHHH!!! You RUINED my sand castle!"  
  
Lance's head perked up from the ground as he heard a familiar cry. He looked around the park and saw Elena in tears with a kid taunting her. With a low growl, he dropped his actions figures on the ground and immediately ran towards his little sister. When the six year old got to the sand box, he pushed down the intruder and shook a fist at him. "What do you think you're doing to my little sister?!"  
  
Elena pointed an accusing finger at the kid. "He ruined my sand castle!"  
  
The kid did not answer. "I... uh..." He just stood up with trembling feet and ran out of the park.  
  
Lance turned around and knelt down next to Elena. "You okay?"  
  
Elena wiped away her tears with a sniff. "Uh huh but not my sand castle."  
  
"I'm sorry about your castle. Where's Joyce? Why didn't she stop this?" Elena did not reply. Lance's head then started to whirl around in search of their baby sitter. He found her on the same bench where she had been waiting with her book except her book was gone. She was with a guy, a in make out session. "Ugh..." Lance groaned with disgust.  
  
"Lance, how come we don't have a mommy like these other kids?" Elena questioned out of the cold blue.  
  
"Huh?" Lance frowned and followed his sister's line of sight. He saw a kid playing catch with both of his parents. "Well..."  
  
"Where is our mom? Where did she go?"  
  
Lance put a hand on Elena's shoulder. "Our Mom is gone. Papa said she left when the two of us were very little. He said she went to a place that's very, very far and she's not coming back. Papa told me that she's going to spend the rest of her life sleeping."  
  
"Why would she do some thing like that?"  
  
"I don't know. Grown ups do some pretty weird things some times."  
  
"But it's not fair! We should have a Mom. If we did, we wouldn't be stuck here with Joyce."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Hey you two. Did you guys have fun?" Joyce asked, who came up from behind them.  
  
"Can we just get some ice cream now and then go home? I want to go see my Papa," Elena suggested.  
  
"Um, yeah, sure..." Joyce felt a small drop of water fall down on her face. She looked up to the sky and noticed it was now very cloudy. "It looks like it's going to rain... a storm... so I guess that's a good idea. Come on guys, go get your stuff and then we're leaving."  
  
Lance and Elena nodded their heads in unison and left to get their belongings. When that ordeal was done, the three left the park and crossed the street. They entered an ice cream parlour and bought their favourite ice cream flavours, in cones. Lance picked 'Cookies and Cream', Elena got 'Rocky Road', and Joyce bought some low fat flavour. As the three walked back home with their ice creams, Joyce noticed that Lance and Elena had been quiet and looked a bit depressed. She asked what bothered them but the two decided not to tell her anything. When they got back home, Lance and Elena spent the rest of the day just waiting for Evann to return from work while Joyce took advantage of the TV.  
  
Finally, right at 5:00 PM, Evann got back home from work and was greeted by his children with much enthusiasm and eagerness. Evann then paid Joyce and sent her home so he could start supper.  
  
"Papa, can we have a Mom?" Elena asked innocently and out of the cold blue in the middle of supper.  
  
Evann choked a bit on his food and gulped down a glass of water. "Well... uh... um, I don't know honey. Why do you ask?"  
  
"It's not fair, everyone has a Mom. But not us," Lance complained.  
  
"Not everyone has a Mom. Other kids are just like you, they only have a father and some kids only have a mother," Evann countered. "Why are you asking this? Did some thing happen today?"  
  
"Nothing... it's just that you're gone most of the time..." Elena answered and trailed off.  
  
"...and we don't like our baby sitters," Lance continued.  
  
Evann tapped his fingers on his lap lightly and beckoned for his children to come forward with his hand. "Come here you two." Lance and Elena got off their seats and sat on their father's lap. Evann wrapped his arms around his children and spoke as softly as he could muster. "Look, I'm sorry I can't be here all the time but Papa has to work so we can live here and have some thing to eat, clothes to wear, and money to spend when I'm not working. I'm also sorry your mother is not here. She left us after you were born Elena but she loved you two very, very much."  
  
"Then why did she leave us?" Elena whined.  
  
"That's some thing you'll understand when you grow up."  
  
"So can we have a Mom anyway?" Lance asked, his eyes filled with hope.  
  
"I'll think about it," Evann chuckled. "Go to sleep you two. Tomorrow is Sunday. We have to wake up early for church and pray to Lord Granas."  
  
"Good night Papa," the two said and kissed their father on the cheek.  
  
"Good night," Evann replied.  
  
Lance and Elena got off their father's lap and ran out of the kitchen.  
  
"EEEEEKKKKK!!!" Elena shrieked as the dark sky outside roared when she entered her room. She then made a mad dash out of her room and into Lance's.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Lance asked with an arched eyebrow.  
  
Before Elena could answer, the dark sky was lit up by a lightning bolt and was soon followed by a loud thunder. "WAAAAHHHH!!!" she screamed and jumped on her brother's bed.  
  
"Go back to your room, it's only lightning and thunder," Lance scolded with his arms crossed.  
  
"I'm scared... thunder storms are scary..." Elena whined.  
  
Lance got off the bed and went over to the window. He opened it a bit and pointed a finger to the sky. "It's only flashes and noises from the sky... it won't eat you like the Boogie Man."  
  
Elena jumped off the bed and stood next to Lance. "Why does the sky do this?"  
  
"Well... grown ups say thunder storms come when Granas is angry," Lance answered. "Those noises in the sky is Granas yelling at bad people."  
  
"Like the kid who destroyed my sand castle?"  
  
Lance nodded his head. "Yup, and many more. There's a lot of bad people out there."  
  
"I wish people would be more nicer so we don't get thunder storms anymore."  
  
"Too bad there's nothing you can do about it."  
  
"There is too! Some day... I... I... will work for the church and help all kinds of people. Yeah, I'll do that. I'll stop people from being mean and make them nicer. I'll teach people to be kind to others and make them see Granas' ways. That way, we won't get thunder storms anymore."  
  
"Good luck," Lance scoffed and shut the window.  
  
Another mighty lightning bolt flashed through the sky. Elena ducked and covered her ears, she knew what was next. The five year old trembled as the sky rumbled with fury. "I hate thunder!!"  
  
"GAAAAAHHHH!!!"  
  
Elena heard a voice scream from downstairs. "What was that?"  
  
"Papa!" Lance exclaimed and ran out of the room with Elena not far behind. The two went down to the living room and found Evann half buried under burning debris. Lance looked up and saw the ceiling was on fire as well. The turquoise haired kid reached for his father's arm and tried to pull him out of the rubble desperately. "I'll get you out of there Papa!"  
  
Evann tried to get himself out of the burning debris but to no avail. "I can barely move. This stuff is too heavy."  
  
Elena looked out to the window in the room and saw that some houses were burning too. There were also people running and screaming for help. More of the ceiling started to collapse and more debris started to fall on the floor. A few wires in a corner suddenly emitted sparks and then half of the room burst into flames. Elena sank on the floor on her knees and started to sob. "Papa, what are we going to do?"  
  
"Papa you have to get out of there!" Lance whimpered as tears started to form in his eyes.  
  
The whole family felt the temperature rise drastically in the room. "I can't! Lance, Elena, you have to ge... get out of here!" Evann grunted in pain.  
  
Lance shook his head defiantly as tears rolled down his cheeks. "No, Papa, no! We won't leave you!"  
  
"Papa! PAPA!!" Elena wailed with tears in her eyes as well.  
  
"Listen, you two have to get out of here! It's dangerous!" Evann coughed as smoke started to fill the room. Lance and Elena did not move a muscle. "GO!!!" he shouted.  
  
Reluctantly, Lance and Elena stood up and headed towards the door. They opened the door and allowed some of the smoke to leave the room. They turned around and looked at their father once more. "Papa..."  
  
"Don't worry about me..." Evann smiled but was cut short as more rubble fell off the ceiling and finally buried him.  
  
"PAPPPPAAAAAA" Elena screamed.  
  
Lance tugged at his sister's hand. "Elena, come on, we have to go."  
  
"No, Papa, he..." she whimpered.  
  
"Let's go!" Lance dragged his sister out of the house.  
  
"The whole town is burning!" Elena gasped.  
  
Lance felt helpless. They were surrounded with flames and many people ran around in different directions who looked just as scared as they are. Lance took a deep breath and held Elena's hand tightly. "Don't let go of my hand no matter what and try to keep up," he told her.  
  
"Okay," Elena said in a small voice.  
  
"Here we go," he announced.  
  
With Elena right behind him, Lance left the porch and ran down the street. The two ran as fast as they could and avoided the panic stricken crowd as best as they could so they would not get trampled to death. When about half an hour had passed, the two finally made it out of the town and into the forests. The lightning and thunder had subsided a bit but were now replaced by violent winds and heavy rain.  
  
"I'm cold," Elena complained while her teeth clattered. "And where are we going?"  
  
Lance stopped for a moment and wiped some rain droplets from his eyes. "I don't know..." he sighed.  
  
"Oh..." Elena sniffed loudly.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you. And we'll find someone who can help us," he assured.  
  
Elena said nothing and kept following Lance as he moved on. The two then kept walking in search of help and shelter under the unforgiving winds and torrents of rains.  
  
"Lance, I can't see!!" Elena cried out as they crossed a bridge. The harsh wind made it hard for the two to see anything.  
  
"Don't worry, just keep holding onto my hand!" Lance yelled back.  
  
With the combination of rain and wind, Elena's hand slipped out of Lance's. The wind howled and a powerful gust of wind knocked Elena off the bridge. "Lance!!" she screamed as she fell down.  
  
"Elena? Where are you?" Lance called out. His question was answered when he heard a splash and Elena's frantic screams. "ELENA!!"  
  
Elena thrashed around in the water with her arms and legs to keep her head out of the water. "Help me!" she cried and coughed as water forced itself into her mouth.  
  
The six year old ran to the other side of the bridge and went after his sister. "There's a boulder ahead, hang on to it!" he shouted as he ran along the shore.  
  
The little girl latched onto the boulder while she shivered from the cold water.  
  
Lance looked around frantically for anything that could pull Elena out of the river. "Help! Somebody! Help us!" His calls were only muffled by the wind's howl.  
  
The river's current picked up and its flow started to get violent just like the weather. "Lance, hurry! I'm slipping!!"  
  
"Hold on! I'm coming!" The little boy found a long stick under a tree and returned to the shore. He knelt down a bit and stretched out his arm with the stick in hand. "Grab the stick! I'll pull you out!"  
  
Elena reached for the stick and held onto it tightly. "I got it!"  
  
"Hold on!" Lance started to pull with all of his strength but to no avail. Elena was too heavy for him and the river refused to let his sister go.  
  
The river's current increased and a wave splashed on Elena's face. "I'm slipping again!"  
  
"Don't let go!" Lance grunted as he struggled to save his sister.  
  
Elena's fingers slipped from the stick one by one and was carried away by the river's waves. "LANCE!! LAAAANNNNCCEEE!!!"  
  
Lance fell on his back as he pulled the stick out of the water with all of his might but there was no Elena. "Elena? ELLLLEEENNNAAA!!!" The turquoise haired kid stood up and slumped on his knees. "No... she's gone too..." he whispered and started to cry under the raging storm. The winds blew harder and the rain showered the Earth mercilessly as if the storm mocked the boy.  
  
"Who is she Daddy? Is she dead?" a voice asked innocently.  
  
"No, she is alive but barely," another voice answered.  
  
A loud ring, that was the only thing Elena could hear in her head and two faint voices. With a pained groan, her eyes opened slowly and looked up to the two figures that towered over her. There was a man, who seemed like a priest, with navy blue hair and a little girl behind him with red hair. "Where am I?" she asked.  
  
Father Carius knelt down next to Elena and helped her sit up. "You are in Carbo little one. You are awfully wet. Tell me, what happened to you? Who are your parents?"  
  
Elena buried her face in her hands as she remembered what happened to Evann and how she was separated from Lance. Lance... she wondered if he was still alive. "I do not know... I am alone... all alone..." she replied, her voice almost inaudible and started to cry.  
  
"Don't cry, everything will be okay," little Tessa said.  
  
Elena looked up to the girl and wiped away her tears. "Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Tessa," the red head smiled. "How about you?"  
  
"Elena."  
  
"I am Father Carius." Carius stood up. "Come with us Elena. You must be very tired, cold, and hungry."  
  
"And then we can play later if you like," Tessa offered.  
  
"Umm... okay," Elena accepted shyly and looked away.  
  
"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you," Tessa assured.  
  
"You can trust us Elena," Carius smiled. "Come on, let us go back to the church."  
  
Meanwhile, Lance ran through the forest as fast as he could while he called out for help. After Elena was swept away down the river, he followed her downstream but there were no signs of her. The storm had cleared but the trouble was replaced when a Dragon Knight appeared out of nowhere and wanted Lance for dinner. "Help!! Someone help me!!" he shouted.  
  
"Foolissssh Human, get back here!" the Dragon Knight hissed angrily.  
  
"I can't keep this up much longer," Lance panted. The little boy looked back and saw the enemy gaining on him. "He's coming... ahhhh!" he cried as he tripped on a tree's root and fell down on his stomach.  
  
"I got you now Human." The Dragon Knight smacked its lips as it stepped forward.  
  
"Go away!" Lance crawled towards a boulder and cowered.  
  
Before the Dragon Knight could move another muscle, a shuriken from behind hit the back of its head. The lizard man let out a pained gasp and fell on the ground, dead.  
  
Lance frowned and stood up. "What the?"  
  
"Are you all right?" A deep voice asked.  
  
Lance took a step backwards. "Who... who are you?"  
  
A tall man clad in a black Ninja suit emerged out of the bushes with a little boy right behind him. The little boy wore a purple Ninja gi and had black hair. "Did that thing injure you?" the man questioned.  
  
"I... I am okay," Lance answered silently.  
  
The tall man crossed his arms over his chest and eyed Lance critically. "What are you doing out here alone? It's dangerous here with all sorts of monsters running around."  
  
Lance sank on his knees and stared at the ground. "I... my dad got hurt really bad... my town was burnt down when lightning struck the houses in a thunder storm... and my sister got swept away by the river... I don't know what happened to everyone now. I just don't know what to do. Everyone has left me..." he explained with choked sobs every now and then.  
  
The tall man put a hand under his chin. "I see. With nowhere to go, it's best that you come with us. You won't survive out here on your own."  
  
The turquoise haired kid looked up to the Ninja in black with a doubtful look on his face. "What?!"  
  
"Don't worry, you can trust us. We'll keep you safe. My name is Hanzo," the tall man said.  
  
"I'm his son, Nekura," the little boy chirped happily.  
  
"My name is Lance." Lance got up from the ground and took Hanzo's hand as it was offered to him.  
---  
  
"You can open your eyes now," Millenia told everyone as she was done probing Elena's and Lance's minds.  
  
Ryudo took a step backwards and sighed heavily. "I... I don't believe it... he... Lance... really is Elena's brother."  
  
"I wasn't really expecting that," Melfice commented.  
  
"I wonder why Elena never told us she had a brother," Tio said.  
  
"Miss Elena's past is an unpleasant one. People usually keep these things to themselves," Roan replied. "Or try to forget it."  
  
"Now that you all know the truth, I want you to get out now. I want to be alone with my sister," Lance growled. "Oh, and if any of you want to die, just tell Elena that I'm his brother."  
  
"What?" Ryudo grimaced. "I'm NOT leaving Elena. I don't care who you are but I'm not letting her out of my sight again."  
  
"You've lost your right to be with Elena. It's your fault she ended up like this," the Ninja snarled.  
  
Ryudo quickly unsheathed the Granasaber Sword and took a step forward. "I'm staying here with Elena no matter what. If it means shoving this sword down your throat, so be it."  
  
Lance crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled. "I'd like to see you try. Besides, what would Elena think? She won't be too happy if you kill her one and only brother."  
  
Melfice narrowed his eyes at Lance and turned to Ryudo. "Let's just do what he says Ryudo, for now."  
  
"But... but... he..." Ryudo stuttered.  
  
"It is probably for the best," Roan agreed and exited the room with Tio.  
  
"Fine... but I'll be back." Ryudo put the Granasaber Sword away and stormed out of the room with Skye and Melfice following from behind.  
  
Lance noticed that Millenia was still in the room. "What about you?"  
  
"I'll leave but I need to talk to you first," Millenia said.  
  
"Start talking," Lance scoffed.  
  
***  
  
"I can't believe it!! I just CAN'T believe it!! How can that guy be Elena's brother?!" Ryudo asked everyone, obviously frustrated.  
  
"Well, they kind of look alike and they share some memories. I think that is enough proof to convince a person," Roan replied.  
  
"I already accepted the fact that Lance and Elena are siblings. But I don't see how they can be. Lance is nothing like Elena or even Millenia," Ryudo countered. "Elena is so full of life. She's nice and kind. Millenia is also nice... in her own Millenia way. But Lance is so... so dead. He's cold and doesn't give a damn to anyone."  
  
"Well, Ryudo, in case you already forgot what Millenia showed us, Lance had been through a lot and probably more after Hanzo and Nekura took him in. The world, and even life itself can be harsh and when it does, it changes a person, often to a 'cold, unfeeling brute.' You of all people should know that," Skye explained.  
  
Tio sat down on a bench and stared at the wall blankly. "Knowing that Lance is Elena's brother would take some time getting use to. But I wonder why he would hide the truth from her."  
  
"I don't know..." Melfice shrugged and looked at Ryudo with a slight trace of amusement in his emerald green eyes. "...but out of all of us, Ryudo should be worried the most. As far as big brothers go, Lance seems like the protective kind." 


	25. Holy Lineage

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Five  
  
Lance put his mask back on and crossed his arms over his chest for the millionth time that day. "You said you wanted to talk. What are you waiting for?" he asked coldly.  
  
Millenia darted her eyes at the Ninja. He might be Elena's brother but that would not stop her from blowing him to oblivion if he kept his harsh tone. "Tell me, you've been with us all this time but why did you just reveal yourself to us now?"  
  
Lance crossed the room and stood right in front of Millenia. "Two reasons. One, at first, I wasn't sure if she was really my sister. And two, it just felt right that now was a good time to tell you people who I am."  
  
Millenia arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean by you weren't sure?"  
  
The Shinobi of the Flame turned around and looked out to the window. The Ninja spoke in his usual deep, cold, monotone voice. "It's been thirteen years since Elena and I saw each other. You can't expect the two of us to recognize each other right away. After Rhea went into a coma, I lost all hope. All of the people I've cared for were gone... Father, Hanzo, the Clan... and Rhea, the doctors weren't sure when she'd wake up. With nothing to live for but vengeance, I started to hone my blade skills and tap into my new found powers so I could be strong enough to beat Selene. But, by the time I felt I was ready to take on her, you and your friends have already defeated her and Valmar. My goal was stolen away from me and I didn't know what to do with my life back then until I saw a poster of Elena in a bar. The poster announced her performance in Mirumu."  
  
Lance turned back around to face Millenia. He noticed that she looked genuinely interested in what he had to say and wondered why. "The moment I looked into her eyes and saw her smile in the poster, it felt like I've met her somewhere. After a lot of thinking, the answer hit me like a ton of bricks; that Elena was my sister but I wasn't really positive so I decided to find her and see if my suspicions were true. However, by the time I reached Mirumu, Elena had moved on again. A little girl, who claimed she knew this Elena, told me that she was headed for Cyrum to visit its King so I followed her there. When I finally met Elena, I knew it really was her. I didn't know how but I felt it. But, my suspicions weren't fully confirmed until we fought Nekura back in Garlan. When Nekura was about to kill me, Ryudo, and Skye... Elena had intervened. She sprouted a pair of white, angel wings and went mad with power. The power that she radiated back there felt like mine and that told me that in one way or another, we had a connection; we were brother and sister. From that point on, I've decided to protect Elena until the day I die, it gave my life meaning. I failed Elena thirteen years ago and I failed her just now but I won't let anything happen to her again. I won't let anything that could harm her near her, even Ryudo."  
  
Millenia chuckled. "Brilliant. You told us about yourself now so you could keep Ryudo away from Elena. As her older brother, you have every right to be protective of her." The red head grinned and sat down on the chair next to Elena's bed. "Isn't that cute?" she said sarcastically.  
  
Lance clenched both of his fists. "It's all of his fault! If that idiot didn't leave Elena alone out here, she wouldn't be on that bed right now."  
  
Millenia narrowed her eyes at the Ninja. "What about you? Surely when you were older, you could've left your Clan and went out to look for her."  
  
"It's not that easy." The Ninja shook his head. "Once I've decided to become part of the Clan, I couldn't leave. It's against the Ninja's law to leave the Clan under normal circumstances. If I have, my Clan would've labelled me as a renegade and would've hunted me down like an animal until I was dead. I'm no good to Elena if I'm a rotting corpse. Any other questions?"  
  
"Why would you reveal yourself to us but not to Elena? I'm pretty sure Miss Prissy would appreciate that."  
  
Lance lowered his gaze to the floor and sighed heavily. "I don't think so. I'm better off dead in Elena's world. I... I don't want her to know that her brother had become a heartless, cold blooded Ninja. I'm not proud of what I've become and I think she won't be either." The turquoise haired man turned towards the window again and looked at Millenia from the corner of his eye. "Out of you people, you're the only one that seemed to believe me. Why?"  
  
Millenia got up from the chair and stood next to Lance. "You, Elena, and I are different from everyone else."  
  
The Ninja raised an eyebrow. "How?"  
  
"Power." Millenia put a hand against the window and stared at the horizon. "People in this world are born with powers but most of them have to work or train really hard to harness it, like Melfice and Ryudo. However, the power in you, me, and Elena occurs naturally. You and Elena are Granites, descendants of Granas, probably the last ones."  
  
"What are you talking about? Me, a descendant of Granas? You've got to be kidding," Lance scoffed.  
  
"Long ago, thousands of years ago, Granas came to Earth in human form and made love with several women. Granas' children were called Granites and they wielded extra ordinary power. However, when Granas was slain, the Granites' number decreased gradually and as time went by, their descendants carried less and less of Granas' blood. I used to be the Wings of Valmar. I have the ability to sense parts of Valmar or those that carry Granas' blood, that's why I was able to track you down and find you at the hospital back in Liligue. I had my suspicions but I didn't know you were actually a Granite until you showed us your wings. Those wings and the power they give you are the only traces left of Granas' genes in your body."  
  
"Fine, let's say your story is true. But what about you? You have wings and your powers differ from the others. You said you used to be the Wings of Valmar but the Dark God is gone. You can't exist if Valmar is dead."  
  
"Actually... I was a manifestation of Elena's dark side, released as a human through the power of the Wings of Valmar. I am Elena and Elena is me. So in a way, I'm your sister too."  
  
Lance grimaced. "Millenia? Sister? Can the world get anymore screwed than this?" he thought. "Makes sense."  
  
"By the way, how can you turn your wings into a trench coat?" Millenia asked.  
  
"I don't know, that's just what it does on my command," Lance shrugged. The Ninja closed his eyes and concentrated a bit. His trench coat shape shifted into different things; first its original form: into black demonic wings, then into a black leather open vest, black cape, black shirt, and back into a trench coat.  
  
"Wow, cool."  
  
***  
  
"What do you think those two are talking about?" Roan asked everyone.  
  
"No clue but they've been in there for an awfully long time," Melfice answered.  
  
"I'm surprised Millenia actually managed to stay in there for more than five minutes," Skye remarked.  
  
Tio noticed Ryudo pacing around the hall. "I think Ryudo is going to have a panic or anxiety attack if he does not see Elena soon," she whispered to Roan and Melfice.  
  
"Ryudo, why won't you go inside and see Elena," Melfice suggested and stepped up to Ryudo.  
  
"How could I? That Ninja won't even let me see her," Ryudo replied.  
  
"I know you don't like him much but he IS Elena's brother. If you want to get to Elena, you have to face him and get on his good side," Melfice instructed and started to push his little brother towards the door.  
  
"Okay, okay! Quit pushing!" Ryudo snarled and turned the door knob. Slowly, he opened the door and entered the room. He was greeted by Lance's cold, fiery eyes. Ryudo put on a serious and determined look. "I just wanted to check up on Elena."  
  
"Elena doesn't need you," Lance hissed.  
  
Ryudo said nothing. He felt hopeless and helpless already.  
  
Millenia noticed Ryudo's distress though she smiled internally. The hopeless look on the Geohound's face was priceless. The red head grabbed Lance's arm. "Come on, let's leave Ryudo alone with Elena."  
  
"Over. My. Dead. Body," the Flame Shinobi growled through clenched teeth.  
  
Millenia scowled at the turquoise haired man. "Look, you're worrying too much. Even if Ryudo tried anything with Elena, you can always come and kill him, right?" Millenia grinned.  
  
"Hmph." Lance took his arm away from Millenia and reluctantly left the room with the red head right behind him.  
  
Ryudo let out a relaxed sigh as the door closed. "Thanks Millenia," he said mentally. He then turned to Elena and walked to her bedside. He reached for her hand and held it fiercely. "Elena... I'm so sorry for this... I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you." Ryudo looked at Elena with regret in his emerald green eyes. "Damn... I miss you so much already. I want to see you smile and your beautiful eyes. I want to hear your voice again, I want to hear you sing."  
  
The Geohound closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Now I wish I hadn't pushed you away or made you wait for me. I should've let things the way they're suppose to be; you and me together. Damn, I've been so stupid... stupid! Stupid!! STUPID RYUDO!!!" he cursed to himself. Ryudo ran his fingers down her cheeks while he tried his best to hold back any tears that dared to escape his eyes. "So, please Elena, you have to get better. I want you to come back to me. I need you. I don't know what I'd do if your condition got worse."  
  
Ryudo gave Elena's hand a light squeeze and held it against his cheek. "And I swear I'll make Nekura pay for this, that I promise you." He then gently set down Elena's hand back on the bed. The Geohound turned around and saw that everyone had entered the room, except for Lance.  
  
"How is she?" Melfice asked.  
  
"Still the same," Ryudo answered. "Say, where's Mister Big Brother?"  
  
Millenia nudged her head towards the doorway. "He took off. He didn't say where he was going though, as usual."  
  
"Ryudo, we've been talking..." Skye began. "I know... we know that Elena is in a bad condition and needs our full attention and support but all of us can't just sit around here. We've got enemies Ryudo and they'll harm more people if we don't do something."  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" Ryudo retorted. "I'd really like to find that Nekura and shove the Granasaber Sword down his throat but he's not our only problem."  
  
Melfice put on an inquisitive look. "You mean Gatta. Gatta is going to be a tricky one, we don't know his motives and who he is working for. We can't attack him either because he'll just use the people of St. Heim as a shield."  
  
"At least we know what Nekura is up to," Roan said optimistically in an effort to brighten up their dull situation.  
  
"But we do not know where he is. He could be anywhere," Tio replied.  
  
"He said he's going to destroy the planet. I can't picture that nutcase doing that anytime soon, considering that we've deep fried his Ninja butt twice," Millenia told everyone with an evil smile.  
  
"Don't underestimate Nekura," a voice said from the doorway. Lance entered the room and noticed that everyone stared at him. "What's wrong?"  
  
"What did you do to your trench coat?" Millenia questioned, curious.  
  
The sleeves on Lance's trench coat were gone, which revealed dark blue wraps around both of his wrists and brown, leather straps around both of his biceps and shoulders. The collar and the tips of the coat were now clawed, which hinted a bit about the clothing's true form. There were also red markings on his coat. "Oh this?" the Ninja shrugged. "It suits, don't you think? ...now that you know who and what I'm really am. Anyway, like I said, don't underestimate Nekura. He was one of the most powerful Ninja in the Clan and don't forget the power boost he got back in the Birthplace of the Gods."  
  
Ryudo frowned. "If this friend of yours is as strong as you say he is, why didn't he just blow us up to oblivion? He could've easily done that."  
  
"Maybe he doesn't know the full potential of his power," Skye commented.  
  
"If that's true, then Nekura should be our target. He'll be easier to defeat," Melfice suggested. "But since we don't know where he is, we'll just have to take him out when he shows up."  
  
"So for now that only leaves us Gatta," Tio told everyone.  
  
"We need to plan this very carefully should we attack St. Heim. We need to make sure that no harm come to its people while we fight the Cathedral Knights," Roan instructed.  
  
"But the thing is, we can't attack the Cathedral Knights either because they're just a bunch of genetically mutated puppets," Ryudo grimaced.  
  
"Perhaps... there is a way... but I will need a blood sample from a Cathedral Knight," Tio whispered.  
  
"Consider it done! I'll get you a blood sample, I'll make them bleed," Millenia piped cheerfully.  
  
"Millenia!" the Geohound scolded.  
  
"I said I'll make them bleed. A little blood loss won't kill them," Millenia retaliated.  
  
"It sounds risky but... fine! Let's go get that damn blood sample and then we're going back right here once that's done," Ryudo agreed.  
  
"We're off to St. Heim then?" Melfice asked.  
  
"Right," Ryudo nodded.  
  
"I will prepare the Granasaber Ship," Tio announced and exited the room with Skye, Millenia, Roan, and Melfice.  
  
The Geohound strode towards Elena's bed and kissed her on the forehead while having the feeling of Lance's ruby red eyes burning behind his back. "I'm going to be gone for a little while. I'll be back as soon as I can," he told Elena, mentally. Ryudo turned around and walked out of the room.  
  
"I'll be back little sister..." Lance thought as he shut the door and left the room.  
  
The group gathered the supplies they needed for their next mission such as Wound Salves, Yomi's Elixirs, vials for the blood samples, and food rations before they met with Tio in the Granasaber Ship. With everything set and ready, the group left Cyrum for St. Heim.  
  
***  
  
"How long before we get to St. Heim?" Ryudo asked, who sat on his station while he wondered if whatever Tio had in mind would work.  
  
"A few more minutes and we will be there," Tio replied.  
  
Melfice pointed at the screen of his computer. "The long range cameras are picking something up from St. Heim. Just give me a second to figure out this machine and I'll show it to you." The blue haired man pressed a series of buttons on his keyboard and a big semi transparent screen appeared in the middle of the bridge. The screen showed white winged dragons, a lot of them, with Cathedral Knights as their passengers.  
  
Millenia raised an eyebrow. "What are they up to?"  
  
"I do not know but it seems that they are headed to Liligue," Roan announced.  
  
"Liligue?!! Rhea... no..." Lance gasped mentally.  
  
"Tio, follow them but increase our altitude so they won't notice us," Ryudo instructed.  
  
"Affirmative," the Automata nodded and did what she was told.  
  
The Granasaber Ship climbed higher, higher than the clouds so there would be less chances of them being spotted by the enemy. The group followed the White Dragons until they reached Liligue. The White Dragons split into four groups and landed while the gang had stopped in mid air to see what their plans were.  
  
A White Dragon that carried Cardinal Uru, with two Cathedral Knights, landed in the town square, where the town's biggest tree was and turtle like creature that lived in the sand. One group, led by Gatta, landed outside of the school. Gatta ordered his Cathedral Knights to surround the building and then hurried out of the scene. Another squad arrived at the main gates so no one would escape and the last went to the hospital.  
  
"They're at the hospital!! Rhea... please be safe... please..." Lance pleaded mentally.  
  
"They've completely surrounded the town and someone is with Gatta. Who do you think that is?" Tio told everyone.  
  
"I do not know but he looked like a Cardinal of Granas," Roan replied.  
  
"We have to do something! This is my home, we can't let them destroy it!" Millenia exclaimed.  
  
"We know Millenia, we know. Any ideas?" Ryudo asked.  
  
"Let's land outside of the town and then go to the town square. The Cardinal is rounding up an audience, it looks like he's got something to say. Let's find out what," Melfice suggested.  
  
"Of course," Tio nodded and programmed the ship to descend.  
  
The Granasaber Ship landed outside the town's main gates. The group left the ship and went up to the entrance. Surprisingly, the Cathedral Knights let them in but they closed the doors shut as soon as the gang entered.  
  
"What a welcome... really makes me comfortable and cozy in this place," Ryudo remarked. "Come on, let's go see what his benevolence wants with this place."  
  
Everyone nodded in unison and followed Ryudo to the town square. When Ryudo and the others got to the gathering, they split up and mingled with the townspeople so they would not be as noticeable. The town square was filled with exchanged whispers and looks of confusion.  
  
"Citizens of Liligue, I am Cardinal Uru of the Granas Cathedral," he began when he decided it was time to start. "I am here to ask something of you."  
  
"What could that be?" several people questioned.  
  
"Faith, your faith in Lord Granas," Uru answered. "If you believe, if you have faith, Lord Granas could exist in this world again and bring us eternal happiness!"  
  
The whole crowd gasped, both that of disbelief and shock.  
  
"Your faith is all that I ask of you," Uru repeated.  
  
The audience threw all sorts of reactions at the Cardinal.  
  
"What do you mean?!"  
  
"Are you out of your mind old man?! Granas is dead!! How the hell is he suppose to come back?!"  
  
"Lord Granas can return?! How? Please tell us!"  
  
"Yes, Lord Granas could return," Uru chuckled. "He would bring joy and harmony to those who will follow him and deliver punishment to the wicked... ugghhh..." he gasped and then fell on the ground, dead. He had been shot by an arrow at the back of his head.  
  
"No one would want a rotting corpse like you to be a God!" a voice growled. The owner of the voice stepped up to the audience and stood between the Cathedral Knights that accompanied Uru. The hooded man put away his crossbow and took off his hood to reveal his identity to the public.  
  
Lance's eyes widened a bit. "What the?! That's the man that hired me to assassinate the priests at the church back in St. Heim!" he whispered to himself.  
  
The man laughed and drew out a sword.  
  
"That sword! It's..." Ryudo gasped.  
  
The man surveyed the public and noticed six familiar individuals. He then put a hand on his face and let his fingers dig into his cheek. His fingers tore into his skin and started to peel it away. With a grunt, the man completely took off his facial disguise and showed everyone who he really was, Gatta. 


	26. Have Faith

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Six  
  
"He... he killed the Cardinal!" a woman in the crowd shrieked.  
  
Gatta snapped his fingers and the two Cathedral Knights behind him drew their swords. "If you folks know what's good for you, I suggest you leave and get back to your houses. Being out here is not the safest thing to do in the world right now," he spat with venom in his voice.  
  
It only took a few seconds for the townspeople to get out of the town square and hide in the safety of their homes. Only six individuals remained in the place.  
  
Gatta narrowed his eyes at the young man that used to be his best friend. "Are you going to try and stop me Ryudo?"  
  
"What are you up to?" Ryudo asked.  
  
"I told you before, it's to purge Darkness from this world and to help the unfortunate," Gatta answered. "People are still plagued with misfortune Ryudo. Right now, there's people out there that are starving and suffering because they have no money or real possessions since they still haven't recovered from their losses from Valmar's attack and the more fortunate people won't help them either. We need to save these people. We need Granas back. Join me Ryudo. Together and with Granas, we can create a perfect and happy world."  
  
"Sorry, but... your definition of 'perfect and happy world' doesn't quite match mine. Flowery meadows, fluffy bunnies, rainbows, and lollipops for everyone isn't my idea of a 'perfect and happy world'," Ryudo replied with a smirk.  
  
"Fine," Gatta hissed. "Be one of the Dark Ones and get purified when a new Granas is born."  
  
The Geohound arched an eyebrow. "Dark Ones? Excuse me, if anyone here is 'Dark', it's you. YOU just killed the Cardinal and imprisoned the people of St. Heim in some underground freak experiment lab!"  
  
"Sacrifices must be made," Gatta reasoned.  
  
"Then you and Granas are just as bad as Valmar was. What happened to you?" Ryudo reached for his pocket and took out a necklace. He showed it to Gatta. "Remember this? This was a token of your promise; your promise to become a better and honourable swordsman. I don't see you fulfilling that promise anytime soon."  
  
"Hmph..." Gatta scoffed and sheathed his sword. He turned around and whistled. A White Dragon appeared in the middle of the sky and landed right in front of him. "I've got things to do. I'll see you and your friends soon." He then mounted the dragon and took off.  
  
"HEY! Get back here!" Ryudo exclaimed.  
  
"Umm... Ryudo..." Skye interrupted and flew off from Ryudo's shoulder. "We've got bigger problems."  
  
The two Cathedral Knights' eyes glowed in red and started to slowly advance forward.  
  
Ryudo took out the Granasaber Sword. "Damn it!"  
  
"There's Cathedral Knights stationed around the town so we should split up and take them all out," Melfice suggested.  
  
"Do not forget to take blood samples," Tio reminded everyone.  
  
"Thought you'd never say that," Millenia squealed.  
  
"I will go fight the Cathedral Knights at the main gates so I could retrieve the ship," Roan said.  
  
"I will assist you," Tio offered to the Young King.  
  
"I'll be at the hospital," Lance told everyone and left.  
  
Ryudo assumed his fighting stance as the Knights were only a few feet away from them. "I'll stay here and take care of these two."  
  
"I guess that leaves the school to the two of us," Melfice informed Millenia.  
  
"Yay," Millenia grumbled.  
  
Ryudo charged at one of the Knights with his sword held high by both hands. "GO! NOW!" The Geohound brought his sword down but the Knight blocked it with its own blade. "Remember... just stop them, don't kill them..."  
  
"Right," the others nodded and ran off.  
  
Ryudo backed away a bit to formulate a strategy of some sort. "Damn it! If I was fighting to kill, these guys won't last for damn ten minutes! How am I suppose to stop these guys without having to seriously hurt them?"  
  
The first Cathedral Knight brought its right arm forward for a quick poke but the Geohound side stepped it quickly. The second Knight made a diagonal slash, aimed at its opponent's chest.  
  
With a grunt, Ryudo blocked the attack with the Granasaber and kicked off the over sized Holy soldier. He then rolled backwards just in time to avoid the next assault from the first Knight. Ryudo quickly got up and hissed, "I need to get rid of those weapons..." The Geohound put an arm forward to charge up for a magic spell. "Spiral winds... tear them up!"  
  
Several yellow, energy rings appeared above the Cathedral Knights. The energy rings dove at the targets and knocked away their heavy swords.  
  
The Knights winced and clutched their hands as if they felt like they were pricked by thorns.  
  
"You liked that? There's plenty more from where that came from," Ryudo taunted and ran down the block.  
  
The two Knights growled in irritation and went after the Geohound.  
  
"That's right follow Ryudo," Skye chuckled as he hovered around in the air like a vulture that waited for the perfect chance to eat a rotten carcass. The eagle swooped down and grabbed one of the Knight's sword by the handle with his powerful talons when the enemies were nowhere in sight. He then dragged it away to hide it somewhere should the Knights come back for their weapons when they had realized that they went after Ryudo unarmed. "This should give Ryudo an edge over them."  
  
Ryudo stopped running and turned around. "Here they come," he told himself as the Cathedral Knights caught up to him. The Geohound darted forward and prepared to strike down one of the Knights.  
  
The Knights took a defensive position but then noticed something; they did not have any weapons to defend with. The Knights looked at each other, shrugged, and then Ryudo.  
  
"They didn't even notice their swords were gone..." Ryudo struck the first Knight's arm. The tip of the Granasaber Sword cut into the Knight's armour and blue blood started to ooze out from it. "There's our blood sample. Now I just need to keep them still to get it." The Geohound retreated and began to summon a magic spell. He raised his right arm in the air and shouted, "Feel the wrath of the sky!!"  
  
Purple balls of lightning formed behind Ryudo. The balls of lightning flew towards the Knights and circled around their targets to form a huge, electric purple dome. The Knights were trapped inside the dome while shocked by lightning. After awhile, the dome vanished and left the Knights paralyzed.  
  
Ryudo took out a vial from his pocket and strode towards the Knights. Carefully, he placed the vial under the wound he made and started to collect the blood. "I wonder what Tio wants with this stuff? Whatever it is, it better work."  
  
The Knights struggled to flee but their bodies just did not respond. Frustrated, they let out an inhuman call.  
  
Ryudo stepped back and put the blood sample away. "Whoa... what are they doing?"  
  
A White Dragon appeared out of the sky and grabbed the Knights with its massive, clawed feet. The dragon let out a wail and flew towards the horizon.  
  
The Geohound watched the winged lizard escape with the Knights. "I wonder if they'll ever be back to normal soon."   
  
***  
  
"AAAHHH!! HEELLLPPP!!!"  
  
Innocent civilians burst out of the Liligue Inn and General Store and ran away like rabbits as the Cathedral Knights arrived to claim their lives. Most of the people got away except for one unfortunate, elderly man. The Granas Knight's big, heavy sword cleaved his body in half before he could escape.  
  
"There!" Tio pointed at their targets as they arrived on the scene.  
  
Roan's eyes fell upon the old man or what used to be him and his face contorted into a look of disgust. "How could the Church of Granas gain the people's faith if they massacre them?"  
  
"The Cardinal is dead. Gatta ordered them to do this. The Granas Cathedral is not responsible for this anymore," Tio supplied.  
  
"You are right," the Young King agreed and unsheathed the Gladius. "Now let us get that blood sample you need."  
  
"There is four of them," the Automata stated.  
  
"Does that make it an unfair fight?" Roan grinned.  
  
"Not at all," Tio replied with a smile and took out the Angel Circle. "Lotus Flower... bloom!" she said as she threw a big, pink, flower like projectile at a Cathedral Knight. The attack knocked the Knight's sword away from its hand and the Lotus Flower returned to Tio like a boomerang. Quickly, Tio rushed forward and jabbed the Holy soldier's stomach twice with her right blade ring. To finish her combo off, she spun around to gain some momentum and struck the Knight's chest with the left Angel Circle. With her opponent stunned for a bit, Tio used this chance to run to the other side of the street. Out numbered, the odds were against her and Roan so hit and run was the best strategy for the moment.  
  
Roan side stepped to his left as a Cathedral Knight thrust its weapon forward with its right arm. The Young King countered with a horizontal slash that cut the Knight's right shoulder before it could recover from its attack. The Knight then dropped its big sword and clutched the wound with its left arm.  
  
"Roan behind you!" Tio warned.  
  
Roan turned around just in time to see another Knight raise its blade above its head with both hands to cut him down. Roan brought his right arm up and blocked the blow with the Gladius. "He is too strong..." he grunted as the tip of the Cathedral Knight's sword came closer and closer to his face with each passing second. Finally, the Young King let go of the Gladius and rolled away. Roan then stood up, ran towards the gate, and lowered his gaze down to the ground to see his Gladius break in half when the weight of the Cathedral Knight's sword crushed it against the ground. "Oh no, my knife!! That was a family heirloom!"  
  
Tio was about to regroup with Roan but a Cathedral Knight barred her path. Before she could attack with her blade rings, another Knight appeared to her side and slapped her weapons away. The Knight let out a smug, inhuman grunt and stomped on the Angel Circle with its mighty foot, shattering them. A third Knight sneaked up behind Tio and punched her on the back. The Automata cried out in pain and slumped forward on her knees.  
  
"TIO!!" Roan put both of his arms in the air and charged up for a Gravity spell. In a matter of seconds, blue rays of light gathered into an energy ball in mid air at the opposite side of the street. A yellow pentagram with the zodiac symbols then formed on the ground. The blue energy ball glowed and dragged the Cathedral Knights towards the center of the yellow pentagram like a magnet that attracted paper clips. The Cathedral Knights found themselves unable to move as the blue energy ball caged them in green, energy rings.  
  
"That spell will not hold them for very long." Roan raised both of his arms in the air again and a giant snowball materialized on his palms. "Expect an early winter, with lot's of snow!" he taunted and threw the snowball at the enemies just when the magic of Gravity wore off.  
  
The Cathedral Knights were rendered trapped in the snowball. They tried to wiggle their way out of it but to no avail.  
  
Tio got up from the ground as Roan went up to the Cathedral Knights to examine them. The Automata strode towards him and stood next to him. "Thank you for the save Roan."  
  
"You are welcome," Roan nodded in response and found the Cathedral Knight that got its shoulder cut. "Do you have that vial?"  
  
"Yes." Tio produced the desired object and handed it to the blonde.  
  
"Thank you." Roan stepped up to the Knight and collected the blue blood that oozed out from the Granas soldier's shoulder. "We finally have our blood sample," he announced and put the vial in his pocket.  
  
The duo then backed away as they heard an angry screech from the sky. They looked up and saw two White Dragons. One of the winged lizards opened its mouth and shot a blast of light blue flame at the Cathedral Knights. The flame melted the snowball and freed the Knights. Roan and Tio took defensive stances for another round of battle but the White Dragons snatched the Knights with their clawed feet and flew them away to safety.  
  
"They are retreating?" Roan frowned.  
  
"Threat eliminated," Tio said. "We should go back to the Granasaber Ship and fetch the others now that we have the blood sample."  
  
"Right," Roan agreed and the two headed back to the ship.  
  
***  
  
Lance ran towards the hospital as fast as he could. Before long, he reached the place but three Cathedral Knights guarded the entrance. With rage and hate plastered on his face, he crossed his arms over his chest and waited for his foes to come to him. "I don't care what Ryudo says. These monsters killed my Clan and they're responsible for Rhea's condition. Now, they've come here to take away Rhea from me too. I won't let that happen. I won't let Death steal anything away that's mine. I'll make it quick for them," he thought angrily.  
  
Lance bent down to his waist and let his black leather trench coat materialize into a pair of black demon wings on his back. The Ninja raised both hands above his head and shot several fireballs into the air. The fireballs flew high in the sky and then stopped. The fireballs took the shape of shurikens and started to spin real quick. "You're one step closer to Hell!" Lance brought his hands down to command the fire shurikens to rain on the Cathedral Knights. "Dark Apocalypse!"  
  
The Knights went into defensive stances and allowed the assault to bombard them as there was no way to avoid it. The Granas soldiers' resilience soon withered as they could take no more from the attack and collapsed on the ground.  
  
"It didn't finish them off... These guys had gotten stronger." The Ninja let his black wings shape shift back into his trench coat and ran towards the entrance. "I have to get Rhea and Konril out of there."  
  
When Lance burst through the doors, he noticed that there was not a single person in sight. "Everyone probably ran away when they saw the Cathedral Knights and left the patients all alone. Hmph, some hospital this is..." The Flame Shinobi ran across a hall and took a set of stairs to get to Rhea's room. After the last step, he made a right turn and went in the first room.  
  
Lance was greeted by Konril as soon as he came in. The Carro climbed on his right shoulder and nuzzled his cheek. "Hey Konril. Thanks for staying and watching over Rhea." The Ninja then immediately dashed to Rhea's side and took off every single wire and gadget that were attached to her arm. Gently, he lifted Rhea off the bed and carried her still form in his arms. "Let's get the hell out of here."  
  
Konril made a cute little noise of approval.  
  
The Ninja kicked the door open and went back to the entrance. As soon as he stepped out of the hospital, the three Cathedral Knights that he knocked out earlier were back, conscious, and ready to fight again. "Bloody Hell no..." he cursed to himself.  
  
The Knights drew out their swords and started to advance on the Ninja.  
  
Lance knelt down and set Rhea back on the ground. "Konril, look after Rhea while I clear out the... obstacles in our path."  
  
The Carro nodded and jumped off Lance's shoulder.  
  
"Good." The Ninja turned around and unsheathed the Falchion. He held his katana's handle tightly as rage and hatred coursed through his veins. He raised the Falchion straight above him into the air with both hands. The Falchion's blade glowed with a blue aura and the Ninja then slashed downwards. "Get ready! Dark Slash!" As he swept it downwards, the katana's blade shot several dark blue, crescent projectiles at his opponents.  
  
The attack knocked the Cathedral Knights off the ground and fell on their backs. Before they had a chance to recover, Lance casted a Tremor spell. "The Earth cries out to smash all!" The blow from the magic spell sent the Knights flying into different directions. The Ninja walked towards the Knight that landed near a trash can with murder in his ruby red eyes. He towered over his opponent and prepared to plunge his katana deep in the Knight's heart. "I'll take your heart away, as your kind have taken mine," he growled.  
  
Before he could finish the enemy off, an image of Elena smiling, that warm, kind, gentle, and innocent smile, flashed through his head. He stopped and put his katana away. "Elena wouldn't want this... she wouldn't be proud of this... The Cathedral Knights are as much of a victim as I was." Lance watched the Cathedral Knight get up and run towards its allies. A White Dragon then came and landed next to the Knights. The Knights abruptly climbed on the dragon's back and held on tightly as the dragon took off. "They're not the enemy."  
  
Lance then heard a familiar voice moan out softly. His ruby red eyes widened a bit at that. "Rhea?" He turned around and saw Rhea stir in her sleep. He raced to her side and knelt down next to her on one knee.  
  
Rhea's eyes opened slowly and groaned groggily. The only thing she could see were blurs of colours and distorted shapes. She then shook her head and rubbed her eyes a bit. Her vision became clearer and saw Lance and Konril gazing at her curiously. "Lance? Oh Lance!!" she exclaimed. She sat up and threw herself at him though she almost knocked him off balance in the process.  
  
"Rhea..." The Ninja stood up and sighed heavily.  
  
Rhea got up as well. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face on his chest as if she did not want to let him go. The last thing she remembered was getting attacked by the Cathedral Knights and dying in Lance's arms. She feared that everything was a dream and as soon as she let go, Lance would disappear and never come back. "Oh Lance, the Cathedral Knights attacked Minalin... they killed everyone... I thought I lost you and never see you again... I'm glad you're here," she sobbed with tears in her obsidian black eyes.  
  
Lance's arms hung limp on his sides. One of the moments he had been waiting for finally happened. Rhea was back but he felt... empty. He loved her more than anything and had waited a long time for this. Everyday and night he always hoped that she would wake up from her coma. His hopes had now become part of reality but why? Was he not suppose to be excited and happy? No, he just felt empty, he felt nothing. There was nothing but a deep, black void in his chest instead of a certain cardiac muscle beating rapidly.  
  
Rhea managed to control her tears and finally noticed that buildings stood around them. "This is not Minalin... then everything is real. Lance, where are we? How did we end up here?" She looked at herself and saw that she wore a hospital gown. "Why am I wearing these clothes? Lance?" She looked up to him and began to feel uncomfortable. She always did when he got all quiet and even more so when he wore his mask. It felt like she was alone and he was not real or did not exist. She pulled down his mask so he would look a little bit less menacing or cold. "Lance? What's wrong?"  
  
". . . . . ."  
  
"Answer me, I hate it when you're like this." She gazed into his ruby red eyes and saw nothing. They were empty, void of any feelings or emotions. His eyes looked like they were that of a corpse. They were dead.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Lance uttered in his deep, cold, monotone voice which was equally dead and relinquished himself from Rhea's touch.  
  
"Lance? What... what do... you mean?" she stuttered, confused.  
  
The Ninja shook his head slowly and then put his mask back on. "I'm sorry... I can't do this anymore." He turned around to leave but Rhea grabbed his arm.  
  
"You... you're leaving me? No..." Right at that moment, her world crashed. It felt like everything shattered like glass and every sharp, pointy piece shot through her aching heart. "Why? Please... please don't go..."  
  
Lance snatched his arm away and gave her a serious. "The Lance you knew is dead. Forget about me." The Ninja sighed and started to leave.  
  
"NOOO!!!" Rhea screamed and sank on the ground. "Lance, come back!!" She put her hands on her broken heart as torrents of tears flowed out of her obsidian black eyes while choked sobs escaped her lips.  
  
Konril ran up to Rhea and sat next to her. It frowned and wondered why Lance left.  
  
"Forgive me Rhea... I'm a dead man now... you deserve better," Lance thought while he kept on walking.  
  
Rhea hugged herself as her body trembled and shook with each sob. "Lance... don't leave me. Please, come back..."  
  
***  
  
Melfice and Millenia walked down a road, headed towards the Liligue's elementary school. Melfice watched Millenia stride ahead of him and arched an eyebrow. The red head had been awfully quiet which was very un-Millenia like. The silence between them felt awkward and uncomfortable. He wondered what was up with her but hesitated as he knew that he would get somewhat emotional which meant certain death. His mind, his soul, and his heart had to be clear and focused for the upcoming battle for him to do his best. He could not let his emotions get in his way.  
  
But still... he wanted to comfort her if there was a problem as she would do the same in return. He had to admit that he liked their conversations. He felt all warm inside as if his heart melted. He did not feel so lonely and it made living easier because Millenia shared his pain and understood him. It pained him to see Millenia get upset because...  
  
"I love her," Melfice thought. He denied it to himself for a while but, yes, he did love her. He wondered how she would react if he told her but he would not. He was afraid... afraid to love because he feared himself. What if he was a freak experiment like the Cathedral Knights and was somehow manipulated by the enemy? He would end up killing Millenia and the others, people he cared about. He could not bear to live with that. Besides, Millenia deserved better. She was a Goddess and a Demon Man would be unfit for her.  
  
Millenia finally decided to say something as they reached the school. "We're here but Cathedral Knights have surrounded the place. There's probably eight of them."  
  
Melfice snapped out of his thoughts. "How are we going to get inside?"  
  
The red head smiled wickedly. "I say we go up to them and attack head on. It'll be more fun and chaotic."  
  
"No... we need to try a different approach."  
  
Millenia put her hands on her hips and looked impatient. "Like what?! Well, hurry up and think of something because I'm getting antsy!"  
  
"Hmm..." Melfice looked up and pointed at the school. "There's a balcony up there. Can you fly us there? We should enter the school and make sure everyone in it is okay and then we can attack."  
  
"Hmph... I still say it would be fun to attack them now... but as you wish." Millenia bent down to her waist and sprouted a pair of black demon wings on her back, giving Melfice a good view of her rear. The red head then went behind the blue haired man and wrapped her arms around his chest. With a mighty flap, she took to the air and flew high enough so the Cathedral Knights below would not spot her. Millenia sailed across the air effortlessly and soon reached the balcony. She set Melfice on the floor gently, landed next to him, and retracted her wings. "Let's do this." She then opened the door and entered the school with Melfice not far behind.  
  
The two took a set of stairs and Millenia opened another door when they reached a lower level. Millenia entered the room first and saw everyone huddled in a corner; children, teachers, custodians, and the principal. The room used to be the place where masses were held back in the days when the school was a church and the principal was the priest that ran it.  
  
"Miss Millenia!!" the children squealed happily.  
  
"Everyone okay?" Millenia asked.  
  
Melfice then entered the room.  
  
The priest or principal rather, noticed that Melfice looked awfully familiar. The silver armour, the red cape, and the blue hair; he was sure that he had seen or read those descriptions and details somewhere. "Of course!" The principal pointed a shaking finger at Melfice. "Millenia!! Behind you, it's the Demon Man!!" he exclaimed.  
  
Melfice cringed at that and turned his gaze somewhere else. The statement was an ice cold dagger right through his heart.  
  
"Cool it, he's with me," Millenia scoffed. "We're here to help."  
  
"What... what?" the principal balked. "The stories about the Demon Man were probably nothing but rumours," he told himself mentally.  
  
"Since everyone's fine and all, leave this place when we give out the signal," Millenia instructed.  
  
"What signal?" the teachers asked.  
  
Millenia grinned devilishly. "Oh, that's when we say 'go and run'. Simple enough?"  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
"Good." Millenia took out the Black Angel Bow and turned to Melfice. "Ready to rock? As you know, we're out numbered so it's a losing battle. You up for this?"  
  
Melfice unsheathed the Cardinal Blade. "Of course," he answered and gave her a charming smile. "And don't worry about a thing, you got Garlan's best swordsman with you."  
  
"Hmph..." Millenia was a bit irritated. Her chaotic behaviour always bothered Ryudo and she enjoyed it but Melfice, he was always so confident and that bugged her. "Prepare yourself." Millenia hurled a Burn! spell at the door and it exploded to bits.  
  
In a matter of seconds, eight Cathedral Knights entered the room and blocked the only way out.  
  
"I think you just made things worse..." one of the custodians stammered.  
  
Millenia ignored the comment. She kissed her finger tips and waved her right hand at the enemies. "PISS OFF!! Taint of Wind!!" A red, spherical barrier encased Millenia for a while. The shield then dissipated and a red, powerful gust of wind blew the Knights out of the room. "Run! Go!!" she yelled at the civilians.  
  
They remained still.  
  
She gave them an impatient glare. "THAT would be signal."  
  
The people stood up and made a mad dash out of the school in a few moments.  
  
Melfice and Millenia then exited the school to face the Cathedral Knights. The Knights had recovered from Millenia's Taint of Wind and drew out their swords. Millenia put an arm forward and casted a Burn! spell at a Granas Knight. "Is it just me or is it a little warm?!" she taunted.  
  
Melfice charged at a Knight and thrusted his sword forward but the attack was deflected by his opponent's blade. He then jumped five feet from the ground and held his sword above his head. "Taste my cold blade!! Hell Cry Slash!" Melfice brought his sword down on his descent but the enemy blocked it yet again. The blue haired man gritted his teeth and forced all of his strength into his sword to break the enemy's defence.  
  
The Cathedral Knight's sword's blade started to crack from the pressure and soon shattered. With the enemy's weapon destroyed, Melfice prepared for another attack but a Knight came up to him from the side. The Knight grabbed him by the throat and punched him on the side of his face. Melfice flew towards a wall and spat out some blood as his back slammed against it, hard. He got up but staggered a bit.  
  
Millenia backed away from her opponents and casted a Healer on Melfice when she saw him take the hit. "Come on, go nuts out there!!" she encouraged.  
  
Melfice found himself bathed in a blue light and the pain on his back and face vanished all of a sudden. He then raised one arm in the air and summoned a Quake spell at the four Knights that started to advance on him. "I'll pound you to a pulp!" The attack knocked the targets off the ground but soon stood up again.  
  
"Grr... If I fought to kill, I would've been done a long time ago," the blue haired man snarled to himself. Melfice held the Cardinal Blade in the air with both hands. "HAA!!!" He then brought the sword down to the ground. "Demon Horde Slash!!!" A huge, crest of blue swords formed on the ground and the crest released destructive energy. He then followed the attack up with a BOOM! spell. "I'll show you the dangers of your inexperience!!" A pillar of yellow light formed into an energy ball right in front of the Cathedral Knights. The energy ball made a ticking noise, convulsed a bit, exploded, and sent the Cathedral Knights flying to the other end of the battleground. "Finally... they're knocked out," Melfice told himself smugly as his enemies did not get up again.  
  
"Hey Melfice!! I need some help here!!" Millenia yelled.  
  
Melfice turned around just in time to see Millenia get cornered by the four remaining Granas soldiers. One of the Knights kicked her on the stomach and another one elbowed her on the back. "Millenia, I'm coming!"  
  
That just did it. At that last blow, Millenia's last thread of sanity snapped. She decided she had enough and would not hold back anymore. The red head's face contorted into a look of pure malice and grinned a murderous grin. She bent down to her waist and sprouted her black demon wings. "DON'T MESS WITH ME!!!" she screamed in anguish as she levitated from the ground.  
  
"This is my way of thanking you." She stretched out both of her arms and brought them backwards. A purple, energy ball formed on each of her palms. She then swung both of her arms forward and threw the energy balls at the enemy. There was a big explosion as the attack met its targets. Inside the cloud of smoke that the explosion just created, the Knights staggered a bit in pain.  
  
"Chew on this, baby!" Millenia taunted and used Starving Tongue. As soon as the smoke and dust cleared, the Cathedral Knights found themselves in a different place or perhaps dimension. It looked liked they were in space where it seemed like they floated and stood on nothing and their surroundings appeared endless. However, there was one difference, a big difference; their world was yellow and it was veiny as if they were inside something. The Knights then looked up and saw a huge, round creature with a big mouth and tentacles. The creature opened its mouth and sucked the life force, in the form of blue light energy, out of its targets and chewed. The creature then drooled a bit and the world returned back to normal. The drop of saliva from the creature transformed into blue energy dust that bathed Millenia to replenish her strength.  
  
Millenia landed on the ground and retracted her wings. "Off you go to the Crematorium!" she said as she charged up for a Burnflame to finish them off but Melfice stopped her.  
  
"Millenia, no!! You can't kill them!!" Melfice scolded.  
  
"Back off, I'm doing us a favour!!" Millenia hissed.  
  
Melfice grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look up to him. "Get a hold of yourself!! They're just mindless puppets, they don't know what they're doing!! These Cathedral Knights they... they could be my fellow villagers..."  
  
Millenia's rage subsided and looked away. "I got out of control," she whispered to herself as she looked at the Cathedral Knights. They looked really beaten up and just lay there on the ground while their fingers twitched from the torture they just went through. Millenia released herself from Melfice's hold as she heard a roar from the sky. Four White Dragons circled around in the air and then dove at the fallen Cathedral Knights. They picked up their defeated allies with their clawed feet and headed towards the horizon. "Hey wait!! We still need your blood!!" she called out. "This is boring," she snorted as the dragons were out of sight.  
  
"Thanks Millenia," Melfice smiled.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Millenia replied roughly.  
  
"Miss Millenia!! You did it!!" a group of children cheered as they rushed out of their hiding places. They ran up to the two and stood in front of them with wide eyed admiration. "You saved us!! You kicked their butts!!!"  
  
"Of course, no one messes with my students and gets away with it," Millenia assured.  
  
The principal and the other adults joined the children. "You really are something Millenia," the principal commented.  
  
"Oooh, I can smell another Teacher of the Year Award coming up!!" Millenia giggled with delight mentally.  
  
The principal turned to Melfice. "And thank you young man for helping Millenia. I was wrong about you. I apologize for calling you a Demon Man. Those stories I heard were probably nothing but false tales."  
  
Melfice made a curt nod. "It was nothing."  
  
"You're cool!! I like the moves you just pulled off!! When I grow up, I want to be just like you," a little boy told Melfice.  
  
"Thanks... I know you will," Melfice chuckled. A wide load of weight was lifted from the Garlan swordsman's shoulders. The guilt and the pain that plagued his heart shrunk and all it took was to save a school. Words could not express how wonderful he felt on the inside. He had redeemed himself to these people. In their eyes, he was not the Demon Man, bringer of Ruination, but a hero. 


	27. Heartless Shinobi

Note: This chapter is pretty much a song fic about Lance and Rhea and their history. The chapter is optional. If you don't like Lance or just simply don't want to read this, proceed to chapter 28 where the plot continues. And for beta, from the Reviews... yes, Rhea's pet Carro, was named after Rimururu's ice spirit, Konril.  
  
JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Seven  
  
"_Lance_... _don't leave me_. _Please_,_ come back_..." Those words haunted and echoed through a certain turquoise haired Ninja's head. Confused, frustrated, and lost, Lance pondered about what just happened as he walked through Liligue's empty streets. "What the hell did I just do? Rhea... I... I... just left her. But it was for the best. Rhea doesn't deserve a dead man. She's better off with someone else."  
  
His conscience cut him off. "You mean YOU are better off without her. You're not dead, just running away."  
  
"Not dead? ...then why is it that I felt nothing when she snapped out of her coma? Why is it that I feel nothing inside? Why is it I don't feel any remorse when I kill? Why is that I don't give a damn about anything, including myself?" the Ninja retorted.  
  
"You give a damn about Elena," the voice inside his head countered.  
  
"I... I just owe it to her as her big brother. Once everything is over, she won't need me anymore. She'll live with Ryudo and I'll be out of her life forever. She'll be happy." Lance looked up to the clear blue sky and stopped walking. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "How did I end up like this?" The Ninja delve deep into his mind in search for answers. In his subconscious, he saw memories of his past, memories that hurt... memories he pushed away.  
  
---  
A six year old Lance looked around frantically for anything that could pull Elena out of the river. "Help! Somebody! Help us!" His calls were only muffled by the wind's howl.  
  
The river's current picked up and its flow started to get violent just like the weather. "Lance, hurry! I'm slipping!!" a five year old Elena called out.  
  
"Hold on! I'm coming!" The little boy found a long stick under a tree and returned to the shore. He knelt down a bit and stretched out his arm with the stick in hand. "Grab the stick! I'll pull you out!"  
  
Elena reached for the stick and held onto it tightly. "I got it!"  
  
"Hold on!" Lance started to pull with all of his strength but to no avail. Elena was too heavy for him and the river refused to let his sister go.  
  
The river's current increased and a wave splashed on Elena's face. "I'm slipping again!"  
  
"Don't let go!" Lance grunted as he struggled to save his sister.  
  
Elena's fingers slipped from the stick one by one and was carried away by the river's waves. "LANCE!! LAAAANNNNCCEEE!!!"  
  
Lance fell on his back as he pulled the stick out of the water with all of his might but there was no Elena. "Elena? ELLLLEEENNNAAA!!!" The turquoise haired kid stood up and slumped on his knees. "No... she's gone too..." he whispered and started to cry under the raging storm. The winds blew harder and the rain showered the Earth mercilessly as if the storm mocked the boy.  
  
_Why is it that dear feelings are sharp thorns  
Why is it when we go astray they prick us  
Even if it makes petals bloom bit by bit  
Like a rose  
In fact it shakes my heart, love is scary  
I seem to break down...  
  
_ Lance, now seven years old, sat under the shade of a tree out of sheer boredom. He had been playing with Nekura but his adoptive brother had to leave to train as a Ninja. It had been almost a year since he met Hanzo and Nekura in the woods. During his first weeks with the Iga Ninja Clan, the turquoise haired boy did nothing but mope around and distanced himself from the others. He was still traumatized about losing Evann and Elena. As time progressed, Hanzo, Hibiki, and Nekura became his family and that comforted him a bit. But the pain of losing his family still plagued him. In his dreams, he would see Evann die right in front of his eyes or Elena get swallowed up by the river over and over again. The pain never ceased, it continued to torture and consume him. How he wished it could just stop.  
  
"Is it going to hurt like this forever?" he asked himself. "There has to be a way too..." An idea percolated in his brain. Lance stood up and went to the courtyard where Nekura sparred with Hanzo. He strode towards his adoptive father and spoke hesitantly. "Um... Hanzo... father, I would like to train in the ways of the Shinobi." The idea was perfect. One aspect of Ninja training was the ability to control and suppress emotions. It should ease his pain and keep his mind somewhere else.  
  
"This is so sudden... but I will grant you your wish," Hanzo replied. "Whatever your reasons are, you do realize this will be very intensive, both physically and spiritually."  
  
"I understand. I will not disappoint you," Lance nodded.  
  
_Rather than embracing me  
I want you to understand some more  
Rather than giving me kindness  
I want the strength to overcome loneliness  
  
_ A seventeen year old Lance watched a sixteen year old Rhea parry with an invisible opponent with a sai from the shadows. Minalin's Chamberlain, his Lord, had assigned him to secretly watch over his one and only daughter. Lance followed Rhea wherever she went since the job started and eliminated any potential threat to her, mostly the Chamberlain's political enemies that wanted to harm Rhea to get back at him.  
  
At first, the Ninja thought the assignment would bore him to death. He had assumed that Rhea would be like most normal girls he had seen, all giddy and bubbly, but she was different. Rhea could be at home at the moment and enjoy the comfort and luxury of her father's mansion. Instead, she was in the woods training while her Carro, Konril, watched her. Lance had no problems protecting her from danger, the fools that tried to kill her earlier were eliminated quite easily, they did not even know what hit them. But, he did have trouble focusing at one hundred percent on the job; he could just not keep his ruby red eyes away from her instead of surveying the area for possible danger.  
  
Rhea was beautiful. She had long, raven black hair that reached her waist which was tied into a ponytail by a red ribbon that was accompanied by silver ornamental pins. She wore a long, sleeveless, pink dress with slits on the sides with intricate markings and designs and pink high heels to match. He was attracted to her but fate was against him for it was forbidden for a Shinobi to have an affair with an outsider. The Ninja was so lost in his thoughts that he accidentally stepped on a twig and made a crackling noise. "Bloody Hell..."  
  
Rhea's head snapped to one side. Was this another attacker? Lately, she noticed that strange people would follow her around but then drop dead the next second. "Who is there?" she asked in a neutral voice. "Come out or I'll scream!"  
  
"Damn... if she brings this up to her father, I'm finished." Failures were never tolerated in the Clan. Lance stepped out of the bush where he had been hiding. "Don't scream," he said in a flat tone.  
  
"A Ninja!" Rhea gasped.  
  
"Miss Rhea, my name is Lance. I'm your bodyguard so don't be afraid," he told her calmly.  
  
_Even unbeatable love  
I surely must have in my heart  
If it's a certain love I seek  
Someday I shall find it  
It makes me believe in the strength  
To go on no matter how things turn out to be  
To turn against destiny  
  
_ Rhea sat under the shade of a tree on top of a hill while she drew the view below her, the city of Minalin, on her drawing book. "Finally it's finished!" she announced and leaned back. She then chuckled and looked up to the branches. "You know, you can come down if you want."  
  
Lance jumped down from the branch where he was perched and stood next to her with his arms crossed over his chest. "You know, if anyone sees me with you, it means certain death for me." Rhea agreed not to tell anyone that Lance botched his assignment.  
  
"You know, if you don't stop worrying, I can tell my father that I knew about you and it WILL be certain death for you," Rhea retaliated playfully.  
  
The Ninja gave her a frown.  
  
Rhea smiled. "I'm just kidding. It's just that I'm not comfortable knowing that you're up there all quiet and waiting to kill someone."  
  
"What do you want me to do then?"  
  
"Tell me about your Clan. I never knew my father had a Ninja Clan working for him. So, come on, what's your Clan like?"  
  
"I'm sorry but I can't talk about that. Us Ninja are a very secretive society."  
  
"Okay... I respect that. Tell me about yourself then."  
  
"As you wish."  
  
_Why does sin stem from innocence  
Why does someone have to pay for ignorance  
Feelings make casual worries  
Complicated  
Choosing irrelevant words I make excuses  
I merely escape...  
  
_ "You became a Ninja so you'd learn how to control and suppress your emotions?" Rhea asked as Lance finished talking about himself.  
  
The Ninja nodded. "Yes."  
  
"You shouldn't have. Your emotions are a part of you. You can't just lock them away. And your sister... you haven't seen her since?"  
  
"Yes but I have a feeling she is alive somewhere out there."  
  
"Don't worry, you'll find her some day."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"Just a feeling I have," she smiled.  
  
_If you will console me  
Scold me some more  
If you will forgive my mistakes  
Give me a broken dream  
  
_ As time went by, Lance and Rhea got closer and closer to each other. The Ninja had become more than a bodyguard to the Chamberlain's daughter. The two sat by a waterfalls deep in the forests. They always spent time together in the woods as there were less chances of being seen. Lance sat up against a boulder with one arm on Rhea's shoulder. Rhea sat next to him with her head on his chest and her arms wrapped around his waist.  
  
Rhea laughed a bit. "You're getting all quiet again, you know."  
  
Lance just pulled his mask down and gave her one of his very rare smiles.  
  
"Lance?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
She looked up to gaze at his ruby red eyes. "Do... do you think we'll ever stop doing this? I really don't mind hiding our relationship but do you think we'll ever get to be a normal couple some day and do what normal couples do?" Her face broke into a mischievous grin. "I'd really like to torture you by making you go shopping with me or by dragging you to a sappy, romantic musical play that most guys seem to dislike."  
  
Lance ignored the last part and gave her a serious look. "I'm sorry I can't provide you those things but you know fully well that what we're doing is forbidden and you're not even suppose to know I exist."  
  
"It's not your fault... it's no one's. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. I should be grateful that I have you."  
  
"You should be." Lance put his strong arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. He set her down on his thighs and let her straddle him. "Look, only time will tell everything. We may have a future together and I'd be happy if we did. If fate is against us, then I'll defy fate. You're the best thing that happened to me and I won't let anything steal that away."  
  
"You do know that in most cases, forbidden love ends in a tragedy. I've read..."  
  
She was cut off as Lance shut her up with a searing kiss.  
  
_Even unbeatable love  
I surely must have in my heart  
If it's a certain love I seek  
Someday I shall find it  
It makes me believe in the strength  
To go on no matter how things turn out to be  
To submit oneself to love  
  
_ Lance ran to the Chamberlain's courtyard and there he found Rhea. Rhea lay next to a broken mermaid statue. Her arms and legs were full of wounds and gashes. There was a cut on the back of her head that bled slowly and blood stained her long raven, black hair. The Ninja raced to her side, knelt down, and put a hand on her cheek.  
  
"Rhea?" Lance whispered as softly as he could muster.  
  
Konril walked up to Rhea and nuzzled its head against her other cheek.  
  
"Come on, you have to open your eyes. You can't leave me like everyone else did. Please..." He picked her up from the dirty ground and cradled her fragile body in his arms. "...don't go." Konril jumped onto Rhea's stomach and looked at Lance and then Rhea. "See, even your Carro doesn't want you to go either."  
  
Rhea slowly opened her eyes and looked up to Lance's ruby red. "Lance?" Her voice was barely above whisper.  
  
He smiled underneath his mask from relief. "Yes, I'm here."  
  
"Lance, the Cathedral Knights... they..."  
  
"Ssshhh, I know."  
  
Rhea tried to reach for Lance's cheek with her hand to pull his mask down. She wanted to see his face, his smile one more time but she was too weak to do so. The Ninja pulled down his mask for her and held her hand against his cheek. "I'm glad you're here... I'm glad I could see you one more time..."  
  
Lance felt sharp thorns prick his heart. "Don't say that... everything will be better. I won't let you leave me."  
  
"Lance, please promise me that you won't forget me."  
  
"I won't. How could I? I owe you my heart and soul."  
  
"Good. I'm happy... Lance I..." She smiled and closed her eyes as she felt the world fade away from eyes and her mind.  
  
_Even unbeatable love  
I surely must have in my heart  
If it's a certain love I seek  
Someday I shall find it  
It makes me believe in the strength  
To go on no matter how things turn out to be  
To turn against destiny  
_ ---  
  
Lance let out a shaky breath as his fists shook with fury. "I had no choice... the pain... it just wouldn't stop. I went through intensive training so I could control and suppress my emotions to ease the pain of losing father and Elena... but then Rhea... she taught me how to feel again. She helped me discover the heart and soul that I thought I managed to shut away. Everything was perfect back then until the Cathedral Knights massacred everyone I cared about and they almost killed Rhea. I wanted to die since then, I wanted to end it all, I wanted to kill myself... it was just too much. But I couldn't do it, I couldn't take my own life. I had to take care of Rhea and find Elena if she was still alive. I did the next best thing; instead of suppressing emotions, I decided to extinguish it. With no emotions, no heart, and no soul, I would stop hurting on the inside... even if it meant at the cost of my humanity."  
  
"What did I do to deserve this? Why do the people I care about keeping getting hurt or going away? First mother, then father, Elena, the Clan, Rhea, and now that I found Elena... she... Nekura... My whole life has been plagued with pain, misery, and misfortune. Was this my fate? Was this my destiny? Am I to suffer for as long as I live? I've been hurt in every way possible... in and out. Someone out there really hates me."  
  
Lance finally opened his eyes and sighed heavily. "Life is nothing but a state of torment where the pain is eternal." 


	28. The Manipulator

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Eight  
  
Ryudo walked down an empty street with Skye on his shoulder. He had just defeated the Cathedral Knights at the town square and managed to obtain a blood sample from them as well. The Geohound made a left turn and saw a familiar figure ahead of him. Black, sleeveless trench coat, dark blue Ninja gi, turquoise hair... it could only be one person; Lance. The Ninja stood in the middle of the street while he looked up to the sky. "What the hell is he doing?" Curious, Ryudo ran up to Lance and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.  
  
Lance turned around slowly with a cold expression plastered on his face and arms crossed over his chest. "What do you want?" he hissed.  
  
"How did it go?" Ryudo asked.  
  
"How did what go?!" Lance pretended he did not know just to irritate him. He then whirled around and started to walk away.  
  
Ryudo suppressed an annoyed growl and followed him. "The Cathedral Knights, oh silent one," he answered with mild sarcasm as he walked next to him. "Did you get a blood sample?"  
  
"No... and don't worry, my katana didn't touch them one bit," the Ninja supplied. "A White Dragon came out of nowhere and took the Cathedral Knights away before I could take any blood."  
  
"I got one but the same thing happened to me."  
  
"Coincidence?"  
  
"Knowing that childhood friend of mine, probably not. Hmm... let's go to the school to see how Melfice and Millenia did," Ryudo suggested.  
  
Lance nodded.  
  
The Geohound and the Ninja headed towards the school in silence and got there in mere moments. The two found Melfice and Millenia by the school's doors or what was left of it with people gathered around them.  
  
"Melfice!! Millenia!!" Ryudo called out.  
  
"Could you please excuse us?" Melfice asked the crowd. The crowd split in half and let Melfice and Millenia walk towards the Geohound.  
  
Ryudo noticed that Melfice could not stop smiling. "What's the matter Melfice? You seem awfully happy."  
  
"The school thinks he's a hero..." Millenia scoffed. "...even if I did MOST of the work."  
  
"This feeling... it's wonderful. I... I haven't felt this way for a long time," Melfice said. "These people look up to me Ryudo, especially their children."  
  
Ryudo rolled his eyes. "Glad to know some people here are having fun." He could care less whatever people thought of him. But to Melfice, having people admire and look up to him was a great big deal. To see his brother regain what he had lost made the Geohound happy though his comment concealed it. "Say, you guys get any blood from the Cathedral Knights?"  
  
"Hmph... those cowards ran away before I had the chance to take any," Millenia snorted.  
  
Ryudo nudged his head towards Lance. "He failed to take some too. I wonder how Roan and Tio did."  
  
Melfice noticed that a huge shadow hung over them and looked up to the sky. "We'll find out soon enough."  
  
Ryudo, Skye, Millenia, and Lance looked up as well and saw the Granasaber Ship up in the air. A big red sphere then shot out of the ship's rear, which carried Roan and Tio, and landed right in front of Ryudo and the others. The red sphere disappeared and Roan and Tio took a step forward.  
  
"About time you guys got here," Ryudo said. "So... how did you do?"  
  
"We got a sample," Roan answered. "But it proved to be harder than I thought it would be. How about you Mister Ryudo? Did you and the others get some?"  
  
"I did." Ryudo eyed Melfice, Millenia, and Lance. "But they didn't."  
  
"That is just fine. Two samples will do," Tio stated.  
  
The Geohound reached inside his pocket and took out a vial. "Here, you keep this," he offered to Tio and handed it over to her.  
  
"We must head back to Cyrum immediately so I can utilize these," Tio suggested.  
  
"Sure, there's no need for us to stay here anyway," Ryudo agreed.  
  
The group gathered around Tio but before they could return to the Granasaber Ship, the principal and the whole school went up to them.  
  
"Mister Melfice, Miss Millenia, and... Mister Ryudo, was it? Thanks to you and your friends, we and our town were left unharmed from the Cathedral Knights. We are deeply grateful for what you have done," the principal said.  
  
"Don't sweat it pops," Ryudo replied.  
  
"Glad we could help," Melfice added.  
  
"Just start carving my name on this year's Teacher of the Year Award," Millenia joked.  
  
"If the Cathedral Knights attack you again, just send a message to Cyrum and we will be here to assist you in no time," Roan assured. "But for now, we bid you farewell."  
  
"Thank you, Your Highness, and please do be careful, all of you." the former priest smiled.  
  
Tio's antennas sparkled and a red sphere incased her and her friends. They soon started to levitate off the ground and flew into the Granasaber Ship in a flash. The ship let out a gentle hum and blasted to the horizon.  
  
***  
  
Gatta dismounted off his White Dragon as the creature landed in front of a church in St. Heim Papal State. The swordsman entered the church and was greeted by a priest. The priest looked anxious and excited and could barely contain it.  
  
"I do not see Cardinal Uru so I assume everything went according to plan?" he asked.  
  
Gatta nodded with a smile. "The Cardinal is no more."  
  
"And what of the Cathedral Knights?"  
  
"I left them in Liligue so they could play with Ryudo and his friends," Gatta chuckled.  
  
"Do you think they could do it?"  
  
"Of course they can. I know exactly what they'll try to do. If Ryudo and his friends do their part right, we'll have the last piece and everything will be ready."  
  
"I hope you are correct Sir Gatta."  
  
"I hope so too."  
  
***  
  
"Ugh!! I HATE this forest!!! Too many bugs!!" Nekura snarled after he cleaved a Mottled Spider in half, the tenth one foolish enough to attack him as he traversed through the Witt Forest Path. With a smug look on his face, he sheathed his katana and continued walking.  
  
"Beaten again... I can't believe Lance sided with the Geohound and his friends against me. To makes things worse, he's a Granite... like the red head with the black wings and the blonde with the angel wings. How could he do this to me?! After all I've done for him, is this how he's going to repay me?!" Nekura looked up to the sky and cackled. "...can't blame him. The fool is just doing his job. Hmph... just you wait Lance... just you wait... you and your friends. Once I get what I'm after, I'll destroy you, your friends, and this world... everything!!"  
  
The Dark Ninja finally emerged out of Witt Forest and paused to examine the small village ahead of him. "Carbo. This back water village better have what I'm looking for."  
  
Nekura crossed the small bridge and entered Carbo. As he walked around the village, the Dark Ninja noticed that the people gave him suspicious looks but he just shrugged it off. "Ah, here it is," Nekura said to himself when he reached the village's church or what used to be a church.  
  
The Dark Ninja entered the building and found a blue haired man dressed in a white robe with children around him. "Is this a church of Granas?" Nekura asked out loud.  
  
The blue haired man turned away from the children to answer the stranger. "It used to be. This church is now an orphanage to children who lost their parents on the Day of Darkness. My name is Carius and how can I help you, young man?"  
  
"Do you still have any scriptures, scrolls, books, or anything about Granas, Valmar, and their history?"  
  
Carius gave Nekura a puzzled look. Granas and Valmar were rarely spoken of around Carbo. People, including him, have moved on with their lives and learned to depend and rely on themselves instead of waiting and praying for miracles. What could this young man possibly want? "Yes, this place had many valuable books and scrolls about Granas and Valmar."  
  
"Where are they? Give them to me!" Nekura demanded.  
  
Carius winced a bit from Nekura's harsh tone. "I... I do not have them anymore... I donated them to the library for historical purposes because I do not need them."  
  
"The library, eh?" Nekura whispered to himself and turned around to leave.  
  
Carius watched the Dark Ninja exit the room and noticed something on the back of Nekura's gi shirt. "The Crest of Valmar! Oh dear..."  
  
***  
  
Ryudo and comrades set up a makeshift lab in one of Cyrum Castle's spare rooms as soon as they have returned to analyze the blood samples they have gathered.  
  
"Do you think two blood samples will be enough?" Roan asked curiously.  
  
"Yes, it is more than enough," Tio answered as she put the vials to rest on a test tube rack.  
  
Melfice put on an inquisitive look. "I find it strange that the Cathedral Knights just took off like that with those dragons. Sure, we beat them badly but they could have used healing spells on themselves to even the scores or they could have called the White Dragons for help. Why do you think they retreated so abruptly?"  
  
"We would've been finished if those giant lizards came to play," Millenia remarked.  
  
"Perhaps it was a form of distraction so Gatta could make his escape," Roan supplied.  
  
"Speaking of Gatta, why do you think he killed the Cardinal?" Skye asked.  
  
"Yeah... why did he do that? And why did he hire me to kill those priests in that church back in St. Heim?" Lance questioned himself mentally.  
  
"Beats me," Millenia shrugged.  
  
"What do you think Ryudo?" Skye said. No answer came out of the Geohound's lips. Instead, he looked dazed, spaced out. "Ryudo!!" The bird pecked his helmet as he always did whenever Ryudo slacked off.  
  
"Hey! Cut that out!!" Ryudo protested with a scowl.  
  
"Did you hear what I said?" Skye stated.  
  
"Yeah, I did... how am I suppose to know about what Gatta is up to?!" Ryudo retaliated.  
  
"For one thing, you're his best friend," Skye commented.  
  
"WAS my best friend," Ryudo corrected. "Now that those Granas fanatics have some control over him, I don't know who he is anymore."  
  
"Do not worry Ryudo, once we take care of the Cathedral Knights, we will figure some thing out for Gatta," Roan assured.  
  
"Tio, is that stuff you're cooking up really going to work?" Ryudo asked.  
  
"Yes, it will," the Automata nodded. "Now, please leave this to me. I will take care of this while you guys go ahead and rest."  
  
"Whatever you say," Millenia said and left the lab. Lance and Melfice soon followed her out of the room.  
  
"I will go talk to the weapon smith and have him make us new weapons," Roan announced.  
  
"Thanks Roan," Tio smiled and watched the Young King leave the room.  
  
Ryudo was the only one left with Tio. Reluctantly, he exited the lab as well and headed towards Elena's room.  
  
Skye read the Geohound's intentions as if they were written on the walls. "What if Lance is there?"  
  
"I don't care. I need to see her Skye, make sure she's okay." Damn the world, damn everything. Why did trouble always follow him? It felt like trouble was at every corner, just waiting to pounce on him and ruin his already ruined life? First he lost his parents at a young age, his brother ran around and killed people, his best friend is now up to something vile and diabolical, and then there was Elena, who was out cold with an overprotective brother. "I'm not going to take my eyes off of her again. I won't take her for granted anymore."  
  
"That's very good. But you realized that a little too late."  
  
"I know, I really screwed up, didn't I?"  
  
"I hate to say this but, I told you so. I told you you'd regret ignoring Elena earlier."  
  
". . ." Ryudo said nothing to that and kept walking until he reached Elena's room. Hesitantly, he opened the door and entered the room. Ryudo gasped and his eyes widened as they fell upon Elena's bed. "Elena... she... she's gone." 


	29. Apoplexy

JUST LOVE  
  
Chapter Twenty Nine  
  
Ryudo raced to the side of Elena's bed and looked around the room frantically. "Damn! Damn!! Dammit!! Where the hell is she?! She shouldn't be up and about just yet!" Ryudo babbled with panic. "Think they moved her to another room?"  
  
Skye took off from Ryudo's shoulder. "I doubt it... her medical equipment are still here."  
  
"Where do you think she could've gone?"  
  
"In her state, not very far. I'll go alert the others," Skye announced and flew out of the room.  
  
Ryudo dashed out of the room and headed towards the garden. If Elena should be anywhere in the castle, it would be there. "Probably went to feed the fishies at the garden pond," Ryudo thought. When the Geohound reached the pond, he found nothing.  
  
Ryudo sank on his knees in defeat. "Where... where is she? There's no way she could've gone anywhere in her condition... unless someone took her. But who? What could Gatta or Nekura want with her?" He shuddered at the thought of Elena being tortured and alone out there. "I failed her... again. That's another person I've lost. Why? Why does it always come to this? What have I done to deserve this?" He looked up to the sky as if he expected to see the answer up there.  
  
The Geohound returned his gaze back to the pond and stared at it. He then heard several voices calling out to him from behind but paid no attention. "Gone... she's... gone."  
  
Millenia ran towards the Geohound and stood next to him. "Ryudo, we've searched the whole castle. We can't find her." When the redhead received no answer, she knelt in front of him and waved a hand to get his attention. "Hey! Did you hear what I said?" she asked in an irritated tone. No response still. This time, Millenia shook his shoulders but there was still no reaction. Millenia stood up as realization hit her. The annoyed look on her face was replaced with that of concern. "I think he lost it, completely lost it."  
  
Melfice came up from behind Ryudo and turned him around. "Brother, don't shut yourself out. Don't give up just yet, we... we can still find her." Melfice knelt in front of him and put his hands on his shoulders. "Ryudo, snap out of it."  
  
"Come on, Ryudo, don't run away," Skye said.  
  
"We will find Miss Elena," Roan told him.  
  
"It is not over yet," Tio stated.  
  
Millenia moved to stand next to Lance's side. "You're awfully calm."  
  
"An advantage of being numb," Lance supplied. "If you don't have emotions, you don't have a heart. If you don't have a heart, you don't have a soul. If you don't have a soul, you don't have a conscience. If you don't have a conscience, you don't regret anything... you can take whatever the world throws at you and spit it right back," he whispered.  
  
Ryudo eyed his companions slowly. They all looked genuinely worried but none of that mattered anymore because Elena was gone. He could hear them all call out to him but not really hear them. He was utterly lost in his mind. The only thing he could think about were his memories of Elena and the fact that he would never see her again.  
  
---  
Ryudo and Elena sat around the camp fire, in front of a tent, after they crossed half of Inor Mountain. "You calmed down a bit? Pay attention next time," Ryudo told Elena.  
  
"All right..." Elena replied, somewhat submissively.  
  
The Geohound eyed the Songstress curiously. "Anyway, what happened back at the tower? Ready to talk about it yet?"  
  
Elena looked away from Ryudo's intense gaze. "...I do not remember much. It was... I believe it was a ceremony of Sealing. I was to sing... I began my songs. My Sisters moved to restore the Seal... and then..." she answered, her voice barely audible.  
  
"What about the wings?"  
  
Elena looked apologetic. "Forgive me, I do not wish to remember."  
  
"Uh-huh." The Geohound nodded his head. "We're missing something here. You must be able to remember... or did the clouds of incense fog your memory?"  
  
The Songstress gave him a puzzled look. "...Do you assume...?"  
  
"Hey, I'm not presuming to know what goes on behind closed doors, Sister. I'm just saying you were there... Bah. Hopeless," Ryudo retaliated.  
  
She shook her head. "You do not understand."  
  
Ryudo arched an eyebrow. "Because I'm not sophisticated enough? Because I don't fall over myself to be the first in line at the temple doors?"  
  
"Now you mock me."  
  
Ryudo smirked sardonically. "No, I've been mocking you for the last half hour. A little slow to notice, aren't we?"  
  
"Why do you persist in vexing me? Do you bait me to watch me suffer? Do you take pleasure in my pain? Please, I do not need your grief, as I have much of my own!" Elena yelled, her eyes filled with frustration and anger.  
  
The Geohound suppressed a chuckle. "...I'm s... surprised that you've managed to remain so naive and survive as long as you have."  
  
"Is that... what you think?"  
  
"Forget it. Get to sleep. We've got a ways ahead of us in the morning."  
  
Elena stood up and headed towards the tent.  
  
"Hey! Leave some space for me!" he called out.  
  
"I hope you are joking," Elena hissed and left to sleep beside the tent. "Never mind. I will sleep outside the tent!"  
  
"...I didn't mean it that way... uh... ... Hope you like sleeping on rocks!" Ryudo scoffed. "Suit yourself..."  
  
Later that night, Ryudo sat alone by the fire. "So, she's finally asleep..." the Geohound muttered to himself and turned his head to the left as he heard Skye return. The bird had left earlier to hunt his food for the night.  
  
"What about you, lover boy? You going to sleep?" Skye asked coyly.  
  
"I can't... I keep seeing Elena surrounded by Darkness in the tower... Nightmares, man," Ryudo sighed in exasperation.  
  
"Don't think about it. Nothing you can do now," Skye responded.  
  
"And, I pissed her off, man. She's so... perky and happy... Now she hates me. You saw her."  
  
"It can't be helped. You know how the church feels about us working types."  
  
A look of sympathy crossed Ryudo's features. "But I guess she HAS been sheltered her whole life. She's never seen the world outside her window. And then to have her friends die on her like that... And I couldn't save them..."  
  
"Compassion, Ryudo? A little late for that. Your words would sound far better had they been spoken sooner."  
  
"Sometimes... all I can... I didn't want... She was to be kept from harm, yet even now she suffers. And I cannot bear to see it. It is my duty to protect her..."  
  
"You're mincing your words again, Ryudo. Badly. You know as well as I that what you feel has less to do with duty than with..."  
  
"With WHAT, Skye? With concern? With sentiment? That's... not me... Still, I've never felt... Bah, good night, Skye," Ryudo groaned and let himself fall on his back from his sitting position to sleep.  
  
"...Sweet dreams, Ryudo," Skye said, his voice almost paternal.  
---  
Ryudo drew out a dagger and pointed it towards Elena as if he was going to kill her. They were in the Mirumu Inn and the Geohound just had enough of Elena's rant about Valmar and Millenia.  
  
"Ryu- Ryudo!?" Elena gasped as she took a step backwards.  
  
Ryudo narrowed his eyes at the Songstress. "Look, you're not giving me a choice here. You can keep crying about Valmar this and Valmar that, or we can settle this now." He watched Elena whimper and shake for a moment and sighed when she stopped. He then put his dagger back in its sheath. "You calmed down yet? Hey, what's gotten into you? What happened to the almost-stereotypical determination and pluck that I know so well? What's wrong, Elena?"  
  
Elena knelt down and fixed her ruby red eyes on the floor. "...All right, Ryudo. Kill me! If that will destroy Valmar..." she whined.  
  
Ryudo looked liked he was hit by a ton of bricks. "What!?"  
  
The Songstress started to shake again and tears threatened to flow out of her eyes. "What's wrong, Ryudo? Do it quickly! I'm a little... scared... so please, make it as painless as you are able."  
  
The Geohound glared at her. "Do... don't be STUPID! That's Selene talking, not you!" He turned around and looked out to the window. "My job is to get you to the Cathedral. If you want any extras, hire someone else. ... Just stop your brooding and get to bed!"  
  
"..." Elena stood up slowly, puzzled, and went to her room.  
  
Ryudo smacked his forehead and tapped his left foot against the stone floor. "Dammit! NOT the right approach, Ryudo. NOT the right approach! ... What the hell is wrong with her?"  
---  
Ryudo, Skye, and Elena sat around the camp fire with a tent behind them after they crossed half of the St. Heim Mountains. The three of them were alone since Roan and Mareg left to fetch some water.  
  
"We're almost there. If I'd known this trip would take so long, I would've had Vyx pet-sit Skye here," Ryudo announced.  
  
"I fear our trip would have been much shorter had you not been with us, Ryudo. It is only because of you that we have come so far. I have learned... many things, as well. Thank you for what you have done," Elena nodded with a smile.  
  
Ryudo grinned like a madman. "Well... er... I'm, um, not the only one who should be thanked. I'm, um, did some things I normally wouldn't do 'cause of you... But it was worth it. I've never actually enjoyed doing a job before."  
---  
Ryudo and Elena sauntered into the night. Elena had just finished singing for Mareg's people for their gathering. After the two had finished their dinner, the Geohound and Songstress decided to go see the Nanan Spring as they heard it was beautiful under the moonlight and stars.  
  
Elena stopped in her tracks and looked at Ryudo. "I was kind of nervous. Until now, I sang only for Lord Granas. I never thought I would sing for others. But I have never had so much fun singing. I never imagined it to be so exciting. Mareg's people are a wonderful audience."  
  
"They're good folk. Hell, even I feel better after hanging around them," Ryudo admitted with his trademark grin.  
  
The Songstress clasped her hands together over her heart and looked up to the stars. "I love to sing. It brings me a sense of peace... As if I were somehow closer to the world. I wonder if those who listen feel the same?"  
  
Instead of giving Elena an answer, Ryudo looked serious and determined all of sudden and changed the subject. "Elena..." he began softly and felt his heart start to race. "I really want to thank you for what you did for me when the Horns... got me."  
  
A look of confusion crossed Elena's angelic features. "Huh?"  
  
Ryudo's composure broke down, looked sheepish, and babbled on, a bit nervously. "I got it all messed up last time. Like, what I meant to say was when the Horns possessed me... I... uh, felt you in my... heart. And... uh it was like our hearts were connected. Elena... you're... special to me..." The Geohound inwardly sighed with relief as he let his feelings out but his heart only beat more rapidly.  
  
Elena smiled and giggled a little. "Ryudo, why... why do you tell me this now? So... suddenly?"  
  
"I-I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong again?" Ryudo sputtered, a small trace of panic evident in his voice.  
  
"Uh uh... I'm thirsty right now. Wait a minute while I go drink from the spring," Elena blurted abruptly and whirled around to leave.  
  
As soon as the Songstress was out of sight, Ryudo turned around and smacked his forehead in defeat. "...Never... goes... how I want it to..."  
---  
  
"Yeah... nothing goes how I want it to," Ryudo told himself mentally. "Hell, it's like the world hates me or something."  
  
"What are we going to do with him?" Tio asked.  
  
Lance shrugged. "Don't know... but we can't have him like this and we still need to find Elena."  
  
"I will go get Paulk and have him prepare the Granasaber Ship for our departure," Roan announced and left.  
  
"Brother..." Melfice whispered.  
  
"Hmph... he trapped himself in his mind. He's in there somewhere, cowering like a little, lost child," Millenia said.  
  
***  
  
Nekura stood at the center of the Seal where the Wings of Valmar used to be locked away in Garmia Tower. The Dark Shinobi held a purple, prism crystal in the air with his right hand and gazed at it with wonder in his eyes. "I can't believe I actually found it!! The scrolls at the library were accurate after all," he said to himself.  
  
The purple clad man ran his left index finger up and down the crystal. "What a beautiful little thing... and what power too... One down, six to go. Next stop, Liligue." Before Nekura could leave, a portal appeared behind him and a Magna Valmar stepped out of it with an unconscious Elena in its arms. "I see, you brought the girl."  
  
The Magna Valmar nodded its head like an obedient puppy.  
  
"Good. Take her back to Demon's Law and tie her up," Nekura commanded.  
  
The Magna Valmar whirled around and returned to the portal.  
  
Nekura watched the portal vanish. "Good thing the girl survived my carnage. She's going to help me start the Ritual. She's going to help me destroy the world." 


End file.
